Poll: Republicans see Rubio most favorably

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) has the most positive image among Republican voters going into the first GOP presidential debate, according to a new poll.

A Gallup sampling released early Thursday shows Rubio getting the warmest reception from his party’s voters heading into the Fox News debate Thursday night.

Rubio received a 52 percent favorability rating from potential GOP voters in 2016. That’s contrasted by a 14 percent unfavorability scoring.

Rubio is also well-recognized among Republicans, Gallup found, netting 66 percent familiarity with his party’s voters.

The results show that Rubio is both well-known and well-liked among likely voters, no small feat given the GOP’s crowded presidential field.

Republicans are currently weighing 17 options for their party’s presidential nomination.

Gov. Scott Walker (R-Wis.) trails Rubio in the new poll, scoring 45 percent favorability and 7 percent unfavorability ratings.

Walker is also recognizable among potential GOP voters, nabbing a 52-percent familiarity rating among those polled.

Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson took third in Gallup’s sampling. He scored 42 percent favorability and 49 percent familiarity ratings from possible Republican voters.

Gallup’s new survey questioned 1,000 Republicans and Republican-leaning Independents between July 22 and Tuesday.