Clinton narrowly leads GOP field in Iowa

Hillary Clinton (D) leads the entire pack of GOP presidential hopefuls in Iowa, but Republican candidates from every point on the conservative spectrum are hot on her heels.

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R), and Sens. Marco Rubio (R) and Rand Paul (R) perform the best in a hypothetical match-up in the Hawkeye State against Clinton, according to a poll released Friday from the Democratic outlet Public Policy Polling.

Clinton edges Huckabee and Rubio 46 percent to 44 percent, and leads Paul 45 percent to 43 percent. Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush is the next best Republican contender in a head-to-head match-up with Clinton, trailing by only 3 percentage points.

{mosads}Clinton leads New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie by 5 percentage points, while Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, Sen. Ted Cruz (Texas), Ben Carson and former Texas Gov. Rick Perry fair the worst, each trailing her by 7 percentage points.

“Hillary Clinton leads the entire Republican field in Iowa,” PPP President Dean Debnam said in a statement. “This is consistent with what we’re finding in most swing states — Clinton usually doesn’t have an overwhelming advantage but she is consistently doing better than the GOP hopefuls.” 

None of the candidates that have at least 50 percent name recognition in the state are viewed positively by Iowa voters.

Clinton leads the GOP field, despite being deep underwater on favorability, with 41 percent saying they have a positive view of the former secretary of State, compared to 52 percent who have a negative view.

The Republican candidates are viewed about as negatively. 

Walker has the best favorability rating of the bunch, with 31 percent saying they have a positive view of him, against 37 percent negative.

Rubio and Huckabee are each 9 percentage points down on favorability, Paul is at negative 12, Cruz and Perry at negative 20, Bush at negative 23 and Christie is at negative 30.

“Iowans just aren’t particularly fond of any of the prospective candidates,” wrote PPP Director Tom Jensen in his analysis of the poll. “The ones who come closest to breaking even on their favorability are actually Carson at -3 (23/26) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), also at -3 (21/24). But that may just show that being less well known is a blessing.”

Sanders this week became the first Democrat to challenge Clinton for the party’s presidential nomination, but he barely registers in most national polls.

President Obama is no longer the drag he once was for Democrats in the Hawkeye State. His job approval rating is still under water at 44 percent positive and 49 percent negative. But in the same poll from last August, Obama was at 40 percent positive and 53 percent negative.