For the first time since he launched his presidential bid, Jeb Bush’s net favorability among Republicans is negative, according to a new Gallup survey released on Friday.

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Once considered the GOP's front-runner, the former Florida governor’s plus-27 favorability rating in mid-July has now declined to a minus-1 less than a month before the Iowa caucuses.

While his favorable rating has declined from 54 percent to 44 percent in the six-month span, his unfavorable rating has ballooned, from 27 to 45 percent.

Bush has been hit the hardest by a 39-point decline in support among Republican men, the poll found.

While conservative males once viewed Bush favorably by a plus-30 margin, the group now views him unfavorably by a minus-9 spread.

Bush’s minus-1 rating is also good for last place in the Republican primary field.

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) is seen as the most favorable candidate, with a net favorability rating of plus-45, followed by Ben Carson at plus-40, and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) at plus-35.

Donald Trump Donald John TrumpHR McMaster says president's policy to withdraw troops from Afghanistan is 'unwise' Cast of 'Parks and Rec' reunite for virtual town hall to address Wisconsin voters Biden says Trump should step down over coronavirus response MORE, who has led national polls in the primary race for several months, has a net favorability of plus-24. He is the only candidate within 10 points of Bush’s unfavorable rating, with 35 percent of Republicans viewing him negatively.

Republican voters’ unfavorable impression of Bush has also been reflected in national polls.



According to a RealClearPolitics average poll, Bush has just 3.3 percent support nationwide in the GOP primary.

The Gallup poll is an accumulation of telephone surveys conducted between July 8 and Jan. 5. The survey polled 44,111 Republicans and Republican-leaning independents over that timeframe and has a margin of error of 4 percent.