WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Billionaire businessman Donald Trump now leads favored Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush by strong leads in the early primary voting states of New Hampshire and South Carolina, according to new polls.
“A St. Pete’s Polls survey released on Wednesday shows the New York businessman with 26 percent support, with Jeb Bush in second place with 20 percent,” the Trump campaign announced in a press release on the same day.
If the trend is confirmed in further polls, the results could be embarrassing for Bush, who was a twice elected governor of Florida, which is a crucial swing election state. Florida is the fourth largest state in the United States and has the fourth most votes in the Electoral College.
Trump also “leads the Republican presidential field in New Hampshire, getting support from 21 percent of potential GOP primary voters” in a new NBC/Marist poll released on Wednesday, the Trump campaign said in another press release.
In New Hampshire, Jeb Bush trails seven points behind Trump at 14 percent, according to this poll.
New Hampshire is the first state in the nation to hold a full primary election in every presidential election year, and the outcome is seen as a major factor in determining the frontrunner for both major political parties.
The NBC/Marist poll also shows that Walker is trailing in New Hampshire at 12 percent followed by Kasich at 7 percent, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and Carson both at 6 percent and Senators Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz bringing up the rear at 5 percent each.
