Trump tops national poll for second straight week

Donald Trump has topped the rest of the GOP presidential field for the second time in as many weeks, according to a new Suffolk University/USA TODAY poll.

The national poll of voters who identify as Republicans or independents shows Trump in the lead with 17 percent, followed by former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush with 14 percent.

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, Sen. Ted Cruz (Tex.) and Sen. Marco Rubio (Fla.) round out the top five with 8 percent, 6 percent and 5 percent, respectively.

“Trump is making daily headlines in advance of the primary season,” said Suffolk University Political Research Center Director David Paleologos in a statement. “This has vaulted him to the top of the pack on the backs of conservative voters.”

Trump’s rapid ascent to head of the GOP pack was first cemented in a Public Policy Polling survey of likely voters in North Carolina, which placed Trump ahead of Bush and Walker by a four-point margin.

An Economist/YouGov poll of GOP voters released last week gave Trump his first national poll win, putting him ahead of Bush and Sen. Rand Paul (Ky.) by four points.