Donald Trump continues to rate as the Republican Party front-runner in his 2016 run for the White House, though his once-sizable lead over political neophyte Ben Carson appears to be slipping fast.

Trump vs. Carson - 26 and 22 Percent

According to CNN, a new Farleigh Dickinson University poll released on Thursday shows Trump now leading Carson by just four points 26 to 22 percent, with the two being the only ones from a crowded GOP field to register double-digit support.

Conducted between Oct. 1 - Oct. 5, the website notes the survey was conducted before Carson recently made a litany of controversial statements, including that victims of the recent Oregon University shooting should have done more than simply "stand there and let" the crazed gunmen open fire on them.

Marco Rubio vs. Carly Fiorina - 8 and 7 Percent

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio rounded out the top three Republican candidates, registering 8 percent of the vote, while former Hewlett Packard CEO Carly Fiorina checked in with 7 percent, significantly down from the 13 percent she netted just a week before.

Jeb Bush vs. Mike Huckabee - 7 and 6 Percent

One-time projected party favorite and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush is tied with Fiorina, just a point ahead of onetime Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee at 6 percent.

The Dems

On the Democratic side, front-runner Hillary Clinton leads closest challenger Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders by more than 20 percentage points.

Overall and less than a week before the first of six democratic presidential debates, Clinton bags 45 percent of the vote vs. Sanders' 23 percent and 17 percent for Vice President Joe Biden, who has still yet to officially declare his candidacy.

Former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley and former Virginia Sen. Jim Webb each notched just 1 percent, and both are hoping to be able to raise their profiles when they take the debate state with all the other candidates later this month.

The poll surveyed 305 Republicans for a margin of error of 5.6 percentage points and 339 Democrats with a 5.3 percentage points margin of error.