Circus ringmaster Donald Trump continues to lead the field by a substantial margin, according to a new poll of likely Iowa Caucus-goers. More below the fold.
In the poll, (available here), Trump tops the field with a handy 22 percent. His next closest competitor? Hold onto your hats... it's not JEB!, nor is it Scott Walker, who heretofore had scored well with Iowans...but instead is Ben Carson, coming in with 14%.
Scott Walker dipped into third place, coming up with 9%, followed closely by Ted Cruz (8%) and Carly Fiorina and Mike Huckabee (tied at 7%).
From there, it goes to a menage a trois between JEB!, Marco Rubio and Rand Paul, each holding 5%.
The rest of the competitors polled under 5%.
It should be noted that Trump holds a handy lead among men polled (27%), but actually trails Carson when looking at the preference of women voters, where Trumps' support shrinks to 15% (big surprise, I know...must be all that menstruating affecting their thinking, amiright, fellas, wink, wink...?).
Sample size was 1,258 probably caucus attendees. Poll margin for error = 2%.
Make of it what you will, friends, but it seems The Donald is having some staying power even despite what most rational people would consider some substantial gaffes.
The Iowa State Fair starts tomorrow, so I expect we'll be seeing a number of obligatory photo ops with haybales, livestock and corn dogs. Last time around, I chanced within spitting distance of Michele Bachmann while I was at the Fair without realizing it until her car was passing by. Maybe I'll see Donald there this time around and he can regale us country bumpkins with his tales of the Big City.