2016 Presidential Polls: Ted Cruz Leads Donald Trump by Five Points in Wisconsin a Week Before Polls Open
With roughly a week remaining before the April 5, Republican primary in the winner-take-all state of Wisconsin, Texas Senator Ted Cruz leads overall GOP front-runner Donald Trump by five points.
A new Washington Free Beacon survey of 500 likely Republican voters shows Cruz leading the pack at 36.2 percent to Trump's 31.4 percent. Ohio Governor John Kasich brings up the rear at 20.8 percent.
The picture brightens even more for Cruz if he were to face Trump in a head to head match-up. In such a scenario, Cruz expands his lead over the New York City real estate mogul and political neophyte 47.8 percent to 36.2 percent.
Wisconsin Critical for all the Candidates
Wisconsin figures as one of the most crucial GOP primaries through all of election season. Trump is looking to build on his delegate lead, while Cruz is hoping to draw closer and Kasich appears desperate to simply garner enough support to remain relevant in the event of a contested Republican convention later this summer.
The poll reflects Cruz's largest lead in the state in any survey taken there and represents the first time since Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker formally dropped out of the race that anyone other than Trump or retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson has held a lead.
Immigration Among the Biggest Issues
On the issue of immigration, voters expressed views much more moderate than those set forth by Trump, who has vowed to deport an estimated 11 million immigrants in as little as 18-months if he is elected.
Roughly 70 percent of voters indicated they support "a pathway" to citizenship for illegal immigrants, provided they pass criminal background checks, pay fines, learn English and "wait a period of years."
Overall, Trump had just a net favorable rating of +9.8, compared to +41.2 for Kasich and +35.4 for Cruz.
A new Emerson College poll also shows Cruz clinging to a lead, 36 percent to 35 percent, over Trump in the state, with Kasich stuck at just 19 percent.
Deeper analysis of the numbers also found Kasich appears to be primarily siphoning votes away from Cruz, with his supporters finding Cruz more favorable than Trump 36 percent to 27 percent.
On the Democratic side, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton laps liberal-minded Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders 50 percent to 44 percent, with 5 percent undecided.
Despite the numbers, Wisconsin appears to line up well for Sanders, who has parlayed his greatest success from states with a vast pool of young voters and smaller minority communities.
As for potential general election match-ups, Trump trials both Clinton and Sanders by the same 47 percent to 38 percent margin. Clinton tops Cruz by a far narrower cushion of 46 percent to 45 percent.
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