James R. Carroll

WASHINGTON - Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul is leading the potential 2016 Republican presidential field in New Hampshire, according to a new CNN/ORC International poll.

BUT...it's within the margin of error.

Even so, that's a stronger showing in the first-in-the-nation primary state than in Iowa, where Paul last week was in third place in a poll by the same organizations.

Paul was in New Hampshire late last week. When asked about the speculation that he might seek the White House, the senator replied "we haven't discouraged it."

He has the support of 15 percent of registered Republicans and GOP-leaning independents in New Hampshire, the CNN/ORC survey finds.

But right behind Paul are former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan, each with 10 percent; New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee are each pulling 9 percent; and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum each have 3 percent.

The margin of error in the poll is plus or minus 5 percentage points, so Paul's hold on the head of the pack is tenuous.

On the Democratic side, former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has a solid 65 percent of registered Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents in New Hampshire, the poll says. Far back, at 11 percent, is Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren (the Boston media markets hit a good part of New Hampshire, so she is getting known there), and then, at 8 percent, is Vice President Joe Biden.



