The GOP Presidential race this time around has had no shortage of hopefuls; the most recent GOP Debate featured more twice as many people as its Democratic counterpart. Yet as four candidates have gotten double-digit backing, it looks like the field is finally narrowing. The latest Fox News national poll finds that Donald Trump still holds the edge with 26 percent, as many identify him as the best candidate for the economy and the most likely to beat presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. Coming up close behind 
him is Ben Carson at 23. Behind them are Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio, each with 11 percent. There’s a steep fall after that, with Jeb Bush, Mike Huckabee, John Kasich and Rand Paul all with just 4 percent each.
Since mid-October, support for Kasich is up three points, Trump and Rubio are both up two points and Cruz is up one point. Men are more likely than women to support Trump, while the top choice among women voters is Carson. Among white evangelical Christians, the favorites include Carson first, followed by Trump and Cruz. These are also the top picks among the Tea Party movement, although in a different order: Trump first, Cruz second and Carson third. When each primary voter’s first and second-choice preferences are added, Carson is in the lead at 43 percent, followed close behind by Trump at 41. On the other side of the Presidential coin, Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton out distances Bernie Sanders by a 56-31 percent margin.
The next Republican debate will be hosted by Fox Business Network and The Wall Street Journal on November 10 in Milwaukee, with a focus on the economy. Although views on the economy are still less-than-favorable, they’ve improved compared to the last Presidential Election. While only 21 percent have rated the economy positively, it’s up from a 5 percent positive rating in December of 2011. The rest of voters think that the economy is either in “only fair” (44 percent) or “poor” shape (35 percent). The majority of GOP primary voters (38 percent) say that economic issues will be the most important factor in deciding their vote for the nomination than national security, immigration or social issues. This bodes well for Trump, as 42 percent of Republican voters consider him the best bet for handling the economy. Compare that to the next closest, Ted Cruz, who only has 10 percent. In regards to who can win, 37 percent of voters think Trump would be able to beat Clinton, compared to the next closest, Ben Carson, at just 18 percent.
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