It should come as no surprise as we head into tonight’s GOP Presidential Nominee Debate in Las Vegas the name at the top of the Power rankings is the same as it has been since June. Businessman Donald Trump remains at the top of the rakings it in two of the latest polls he reached his highest poll numbers since entering the race at 41 percent.
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz has moved into the second spot and he has a firm grip on that spot heading into Iowa. Cruz has raised more money than any other candidate in this quarter and has emerged as the clear favorite among Christian Conservatives.
On the Republican establishment side for now Florida Sen. Marco Rubio has that top slot but at the moment there is not a state including his home state where he is competitive in the polls. Dr. Carson continues to slide in the polls and there does not seem to be a road map gets him back into the conversation for the party’s nomination.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and Ohio Gov. John Kasich are all fighting for the same audience. Of this group only Christie has a shot at doing well early and that could a second place in New Hampshire and if he can pull an upset there then he could push Rubio for the establishment frontrunner. As for the rest of the bunch there simply is not a pathway for them to win but there is no reason at the moment for them to leave before March.
- Donald Trump
- Texas Sen. Ted Cruz
- Florida Sen. Marco Rubio
- Ben Carson
- New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie
- Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush
- Ohio Gov. John Kasich
- Businesswoman Carly Fiorina
- Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul
- Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee
- South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham
- Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum
