A new Reuters/Ipsos poll shows former President Donald Trump leading Joe Biden nationally by 6 points — 40 percent to 34 percent — in the wake of his historic victories in the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary.
The poll reveals significant national momentum for Trump — a similar Reuters/Ipsos poll taken earlier this month had he and Biden tied at 35 percent each. Trump maintained his six-point lead in the new survey even when those polled were given the option of voting for third-party candidates, and although 67 percent of respondents said they were “tired of seeing the same candidates in presidential elections and want someone new,” just 18 percent said they would not vote if the election came down to Trump v. Biden.
Voters are also far less happy with Biden being on the Democratic ticket than Trump becoming the eventual Republican nominee. Seventy percent of respondents, including roughly half of Democrats, agreed that Biden should not seek re-election. Only 56 percent of respondents believed Trump should not run.
The new poll also contains bad news for Nimarata ‘Niki’ Haley, whose future campaign hopes rest on a solid performance in the South Carolina primary on February 24. According to the poll, Trump maintains a 45-point lead over Haley — 64 percent to 19 percent. Haley has already seen significant donors abandon her campaign following her double-digit loss to Trump in New Hampshire, and the new data suggests she is unlikely to fair any better in the Palmetto State.
