Bush edges Trump in new poll

Jeb Bush holds a small lead over Donald Trump nationally in the race for the Republican presidential nomination, according to a new poll released Monday by Monmouth University.

The survey found Bush at the top of the pack, with 15 percent support, followed by Trump at 13 percent.

{mosads}That’s a 6-point jump for Bush compared to the same poll in June. The former Florida governor has hit his stride since launching his bid for the White House last month, steadily rising in the polls to open up a 6-point lead over the next-closest contender nationally, according to the RealClearPolitics average.

In addition, 50 percent of those surveyed said they have a positive view of Bush, a 10-point jump for him since June.

Trump has also spiked in the polls since launching his bid for the Republican nomination. Trump has commanded weeks of headlines over his controversial remarks about illegal immigrants, and he’s been on the attack against the other Republicans in the field.

The Monmouth poll, however. found that many Republican voters do not take Trump’s candidacy seriously. Thirty-nine percent said the real estate mogul was only running for president to win publicity.

Still, Trump’s favorability rating has improved dramatically over the last month, rising from 20 percent positive in June to 40 percent positive presently.

No other GOP candidate pulled double-digit support.

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) is in third place in the poll, with 9 percent support, followed by Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, at 7 percent each, and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), and Ben Carson at 6 percent each.

Walker will officially launch his bid for the White House on Monday. He was in second place in the same poll from June, trailing only Carson, but both have since fallen back among the pack.

After those candidates, there’s a significant drop-off into the bottom tier of candidates who will be scrapping for the last available of 10 debate slots.

Rounding out the field are former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and former Sen. Rick Santorum, getting 2 percent each in the poll.

Businesswoman Carly Fiorina and Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who is expected to launch his bid for the White House later this month, each received 1 percent.

The Monmouth University poll of 336 registered Republican voters was conducted between July 9 and July 12 and has a 5.4 percentage point margin of error.