Marco Rubio leads the GOP field in a new national poll and runs best against Hillary Clinton, a big shot for his campaign that’s just over a week into effect.
Rubio takes 15 percent of the GOP primary vote, according to the Quinnipiac poll, with Jeb Bush earning 13 percent and Scott Walker 11 percent. No other candidate tops 9 percent and 14 percent remain undecided.
Clinton naturally blows away any Democratic competition and other Republicans, except 43-year-old Rubio. In a general election matchup, Clinton gets 45 percent of American voters to 43 percent for Rubio. That’s better than other Republicans, including Bush whom Clinton leads 46-39.
“The youngest member of the GOP presidential posse moves to the front of the pack to challenge Hillary Clinton whose position in her own party appears rock solid,” said Tim Malloy, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll. “This is the kind of survey that shoots adrenalin into a campaign. Marco Rubio gets strong enough numbers and favorability ratings to look like a legit threat to Hillary Clinton.”
Bush tops the “no way” list as 17 percent of Republican voters say they would definitely not support him. Chris Christie is next with 16 percent, with 10 percent for Rand Paul.