Tonight, Public Policy Polling gave The Rachel Maddow Show a sneak peek at the results of their August 28-30 poll to be released tomorrow. While the findings at the top of the poll are what we’ve come to expect from the Republican field - Donald Trump and Ben Carson securing the top spots - what is more surprising is to find Beltway-favored candidates Chris Christie and Rand Paul floundering at the bottom with barely any support.

The poll also shows the tea party character of the Republican Party, with strong birther views and a dubious grasp of some key facts about President Obama and Senator Ted Cruz.