Trump hits new high in Quinnipiac national poll

Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump reached his highest level of nationwide support in a new Quinnipiac University poll.

{mosads}Trump leads the race, with 39 percent support, followed by Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), who garners 19 percent support, and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), who took 18 percent.

Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R) comes in a distant fourth, with 6 percent support, followed by former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson with 4 percent support each.

Trump is up 8 points in the poll since its last iteration earlier this month, which was taken before his resounding New Hampshire primary victory. Cruz is down 4 points and Rubio’s support is unchanged since the Feb. 5 poll.

“Reports of Donald Trump’s imminent demise as a candidate are clearly and greatly exaggerated,” said Tim Malloy, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University poll.

The real estate mogul, however, trails his primary rivals on measures such as honesty, trustworthiness and empathy.

Rubio is seen as the most honest and trustworthy candidate in the field, at 72 percent, compared to 62 percent for Cruz and 60 percent for Trump.

Seventy-three percent also say Rubio cares about their problems, compared to 67 percent for Cruz and 62 percent for Trump.

And 70 percent of respondents say Rubio shares their values, compared to 67 percent for Cruz and 60 percent for Trump.

The Quinnipiac University poll surveyed 602 Republicans from Feb. 10–15 and has a margin of error of 4 percent.

—This report was updated at 10:36 a.m.