Getty Poll: Trump keeps lead in Iowa and N.H., but it shrinks

Donald Trump maintains his polling edge in Iowa and New Hampshire, but his dominant lead in the race for the Republican presidential nomination has faded, according to a new NBC/Wall Street Journal/Marist poll released Sunday.

In Iowa, Trump holds a 5-point edge over retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, 24 percent to 19 percent, among potential Republican caucus-goers. Former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina is third at 8 percent, followed by former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush at 7 percent. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal are all tied at 6 percent.


In New Hampshire, Trump also leads Fiorina by 5 points, 21 percent to 16 percent. Bush is third at 11 percent, followed by Rubio and Carson, tied at 10 percent.

Last month, Trump held a 16-point lead over the second place finisher, Ohio Gov. John Kasich in New Hampshire.

The polls surveyed potential early state voters from Sept. 23 to 30, after the second Republican debate and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s withdrawal from the race.

In the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton still leads in Iowa, while independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont holds his edge in neighboring New Hampshire.

But when Vice President Joe Biden, who has not officially declared, is added to the mix, Clinton loses ground in New Hampshire, with Sanders at 42 percent, Clinton at 28 percent and Biden at 18 percent.

In Iowa, the poll interviewed 431 potential Republican caucus-goers, with a margin of error of plus or minus 4.7 percentage points, and 348 Democratic voters, with a margin of error of plus or minus 5.3 percentage points.

In New Hampshire, 450 potential GOP primary voters were surveyed, with a margin of error of plus or minus 4.6 percentage points, and 404 Democratic voters, with a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.

