CNN/ORC poll: Walker drops, Trump rises in Iowa

Donald Trump is the strong frontrunner in a new CNN/ORC poll, displacing the longtime leader in the GOP race in Iowa, Scott Walker, whose numbers have seen a dramatic decline.

Despite all the criticism heaped on Trump, the armor-plated reality TV star claims 22 percent support from Iowans who say they plan to vote in the Republican caucuses on Feb. 1.

Likely GOP caucusgoers believe Trump, a real estate entrepreneur who became famous on "The Apprentice," would be the best in the Republican field to handle the economy, illegal immigration and terrorism, the poll shows.

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The survey, taken Aug. 7-11, found retired brain surgeon Ben Carson in second place with 14 percent.

Walker, the governor of Wisconsin and a former Iowan, gets 9 percent, hovering with the middle-of-the-pack crowd: Ted Cruz, 8 percent; Carly Fiorina, 7 percent; Mike Huckabee, 7 percent; and 5 percent for the three-way tie of Jeb Bush, Rand Paul and Marco Rubio.

But caucusgoers' opinions are still very fluid, the poll found. Just 15 percent say they've definitely decided; 66 percent say they're still trying to decide, the survey found.

The shift is most striking for Walker. He has been the consistent Iowa frontrunner since January, although his numbers has been gradually dropping since his high-water mark of 25 percent in February. Another recent survey, conducted Aug. 7-10 by Suffolk University, had him at 12 percent among Iowa likely caucusgoers.

"Although 11 percent see him as the most electable in the field, he hasn't impressed on the issues," CNN reported. "Walker falls below 10 percent on each issue tested, with his best showing the 8 percent who think he would best handle the economy."

The poll of 544 likely Republican caucusgoers has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.

CNN/ORC also surveyed Iowa Democratic likely caucusgoers. Hillary Clinton remains the frontrunner with 50 percent. Vermont U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders is 19 points behind her, with 31 percent.

Vice President Joe Biden, who still hasn't said whether he'll pursue a 2016 presidential bid, claims 12 percent.

The other Democratic presidential candidates are at 1 percent or less, according to the poll, which has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.5 percentage points.