Three Years Out, Rubio is Frontrunner in Wide Field

Sen. Marco Rubio

U.S. Senator Marco Rubio, a Florida first generation Cuban-American, is slightly ahead (19%) in a five-person field of Republicans for the party’s presidential nomination in 2016.

Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan, the 2012 vice presidential nominee, was in second place with 17 percent of Republican early support.

There were five candidates out of eight tested in a new Quinnipiac University poll that received doubt-digit support. Joining Rubio and Ryan were Senator Rand Paul (KY) (15%) and governors Chris Christie (NJ) (14%) and Jeb Bush (FL) (10%) in the top tier. Receiving lower levels of support were governors Bobby Jindal (LA) (3%), Scott Walker (WI) (2%) and Bob McDonnell (VA) (1%).

See Quinnipiac poll: Early look at 2016 GOP field shows 5-way horse race, Quinnipiac University national poll finds; New Jersey’s Christie has just 14%