March 8, 2016 at 5:30 am ET
Poll: Ted Cruz Closes Gap on Donald Trump
Cruz's campaign is seeking out delegates in states that have already voted. (Rob Kunzig/Morning Consult)
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz picked up enough delegates last week to solidify his status as the leading contender to take on front-runner Donald Trump in the Republican presidential primary, and a new Morning Consult national survey shows him gaining on the bombastic billionaire.
In the latest survey, taken March 4 through March 6, Cruz picked up 8 percentage points to pull within 17 points of Trump. It’s a 12-point swing from our previous poll after the New Yorker dropped four percentage points.
Related: Romney Speech Had Minimal Effect on Trump Support, Poll Shows
| qtext | DEMO | variable | timestart | timeend | value | COUNTRY | STATE | CD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Now, generally speaking, would you say that things in the country are going in the right direction, or have they pretty seriously gotten off on the wrong track? | All Adults | Right Direction | 1606694400 | 1607212800 | 0.144824460235464 | Spain | NATIONAL | NATIONAL |
| Now, generally speaking, would you say that things in the country are going in the right direction, or have they pretty seriously gotten off on the wrong track? | All Adults | Right Direction | 1606694400 | 1607212800 | 0.244439407378515 | France | NATIONAL | NATIONAL |
| Now, generally speaking, would you say that things in the country are going in the right direction, or have they pretty seriously gotten off on the wrong track? | All Adults | Right Direction | 1606694400 | 1607212800 | 0.275322554230734 | United States | NATIONAL | NATIONAL |
| Now, generally speaking, would you say that things in the country are going in the right direction, or have they pretty seriously gotten off on the wrong track? | All Adults | Right Direction | 1606694400 | 1607212800 | 0.348902713801523 | United Kingdom | NATIONAL | NATIONAL |
| Now, generally speaking, would you say that things in the country are going in the right direction, or have they pretty seriously gotten off on the wrong track? | All Adults | Right Direction | 1606694400 | 1607212800 | 0.356350020462962 | Italy | NATIONAL | NATIONAL |
| Now, generally speaking, would you say that things in the country are going in the right direction, or have they pretty seriously gotten off on the wrong track? | All Adults | Right Direction | 1606694400 | 1607212800 | 0.414420367656638 | Japan | NATIONAL | NATIONAL |
| Now, generally speaking, would you say that things in the country are going in the right direction, or have they pretty seriously gotten off on the wrong track? | All Adults | Right Direction | 1606694400 | 1607212800 | 0.440879322855481 | Canada | NATIONAL | NATIONAL |
| Now, generally speaking, would you say that things in the country are going in the right direction, or have they pretty seriously gotten off on the wrong track? | All Adults | Right Direction | 1606694400 | 1607212800 | 0.442903023297701 | Korea, Republic Of | NATIONAL | NATIONAL |
| Now, generally speaking, would you say that things in the country are going in the right direction, or have they pretty seriously gotten off on the wrong track? | All Adults | Right Direction | 1606694400 | 1607212800 | 0.470409371661823 | Brazil | NATIONAL | NATIONAL |
| Now, generally speaking, would you say that things in the country are going in the right direction, or have they pretty seriously gotten off on the wrong track? | All Adults | Right Direction | 1606694400 | 1607212800 | 0.490357253114157 | Mexico | NATIONAL | NATIONAL |
| Now, generally speaking, would you say that things in the country are going in the right direction, or have they pretty seriously gotten off on the wrong track? | All Adults | Right Direction | 1606694400 | 1607212800 | 0.509743459349337 | Germany | NATIONAL | NATIONAL |
| Now, generally speaking, would you say that things in the country are going in the right direction, or have they pretty seriously gotten off on the wrong track? | All Adults | Right Direction | 1606694400 | 1607212800 | 0.548389933965985 | Russian Federation | NATIONAL | NATIONAL |
| Now, generally speaking, would you say that things in the country are going in the right direction, or have they pretty seriously gotten off on the wrong track? | All Adults | Right Direction | 1606694400 | 1607212800 | 0.666533621134608 | Australia | NATIONAL | NATIONAL |
| Now, generally speaking, would you say that things in the country are going in the right direction, or have they pretty seriously gotten off on the wrong track? | All Adults | Right Direction | 1606694400 | 1607212800 | 0.670542999886473 | India | NATIONAL | NATIONAL |
| Now, generally speaking, would you say that things in the country are going in the right direction, or have they pretty seriously gotten off on the wrong track? | All Adults | Right Direction | 1606694400 | 1607212800 | 0.964403648901587 | China | NATIONAL | NATIONAL |
| Now, generally speaking, would you say that things in the country are going in the right direction, or have they pretty seriously gotten off on the wrong track? | All Adults | Wrong Track | 1606694400 | 1607212800 | 0.0355963510984129 | China | NATIONAL | NATIONAL |
| Now, generally speaking, would you say that things in the country are going in the right direction, or have they pretty seriously gotten off on the wrong track? | All Adults | Wrong Track | 1606694400 | 1607212800 | 0.329457000113527 | India | NATIONAL | NATIONAL |
| Now, generally speaking, would you say that things in the country are going in the right direction, or have they pretty seriously gotten off on the wrong track? | All Adults | Wrong Track | 1606694400 | 1607212800 | 0.333466378865393 | Australia | NATIONAL | NATIONAL |
| Now, generally speaking, would you say that things in the country are going in the right direction, or have they pretty seriously gotten off on the wrong track? | All Adults | Wrong Track | 1606694400 | 1607212800 | 0.451610066034015 | Russian Federation | NATIONAL | NATIONAL |
| Now, generally speaking, would you say that things in the country are going in the right direction, or have they pretty seriously gotten off on the wrong track? | All Adults | Wrong Track | 1606694400 | 1607212800 | 0.490256540650664 | Germany | NATIONAL | NATIONAL |
| Now, generally speaking, would you say that things in the country are going in the right direction, or have they pretty seriously gotten off on the wrong track? | All Adults | Wrong Track | 1606694400 | 1607212800 | 0.509642746885843 | Mexico | NATIONAL | NATIONAL |
| Now, generally speaking, would you say that things in the country are going in the right direction, or have they pretty seriously gotten off on the wrong track? | All Adults | Wrong Track | 1606694400 | 1607212800 | 0.529590628338177 | Brazil | NATIONAL | NATIONAL |
| Now, generally speaking, would you say that things in the country are going in the right direction, or have they pretty seriously gotten off on the wrong track? | All Adults | Wrong Track | 1606694400 | 1607212800 | 0.557096976702299 | Korea, Republic Of | NATIONAL | NATIONAL |
| Now, generally speaking, would you say that things in the country are going in the right direction, or have they pretty seriously gotten off on the wrong track? | All Adults | Wrong Track | 1606694400 | 1607212800 | 0.559120677144519 | Canada | NATIONAL | NATIONAL |
| Now, generally speaking, would you say that things in the country are going in the right direction, or have they pretty seriously gotten off on the wrong track? | All Adults | Wrong Track | 1606694400 | 1607212800 | 0.585579632343362 | Japan | NATIONAL | NATIONAL |
| Now, generally speaking, would you say that things in the country are going in the right direction, or have they pretty seriously gotten off on the wrong track? | All Adults | Wrong Track | 1606694400 | 1607212800 | 0.643649979537038 | Italy | NATIONAL | NATIONAL |
| Now, generally speaking, would you say that things in the country are going in the right direction, or have they pretty seriously gotten off on the wrong track? | All Adults | Wrong Track | 1606694400 | 1607212800 | 0.651097286198477 | United Kingdom | NATIONAL | NATIONAL |
| Now, generally speaking, would you say that things in the country are going in the right direction, or have they pretty seriously gotten off on the wrong track? | All Adults | Wrong Track | 1606694400 | 1607212800 | 0.724677445769266 | United States | NATIONAL | NATIONAL |
| Now, generally speaking, would you say that things in the country are going in the right direction, or have they pretty seriously gotten off on the wrong track? | All Adults | Wrong Track | 1606694400 | 1607212800 | 0.755560592621485 | France | NATIONAL | NATIONAL |
| Now, generally speaking, would you say that things in the country are going in the right direction, or have they pretty seriously gotten off on the wrong track? | All Adults | Wrong Track | 1606694400 | 1607212800 | 0.855175539764536 | Spain | NATIONAL | NATIONAL |
Florida Sen. Marco Rubio remained the first choice for 14 percent of respondents, and Ohio Gov. John Kasich doubled his support from the previous poll.
On the Democratic side, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton maintained her 16-point lead over Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).
| ICS | January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AL | 125.1 | 128.1 | 110.8 | 97.4 | 98.8 | 99.7 | 98.7 | 98.7 | 103 | 104.5 |
| AK | 119.2 | 112.8 | 106.3 | 78.2 | 80.1 | 80.6 | 84 | 85.5 | 81.2 | 87.9 |
| AZ | 118.2 | 118.5 | 98.7 | 87.5 | 89.1 | 92.1 | 87 | 91.6 | 98 | 99.1 |
| AR | 116.9 | 117.8 | 100.1 | 90.1 | 92.8 | 93.9 | 90.7 | 91.8 | 95.2 | 97 |
| CA | 110.8 | 111.5 | 92.7 | 80.4 | 82.3 | 86 | 83.5 | 86 | 89.6 | 91.7 |
| CO | 110.6 | 112.8 | 92.4 | 78.1 | 82.7 | 82 | 83.7 | 85.4 | 90.2 | 91.4 |
| CT | 107.4 | 109.6 | 90.7 | 75.1 | 78.6 | 86.7 | 84.7 | 87.5 | 89.9 | 90.3 |
| DE | 115.1 | 115.5 | 96.7 | 82.1 | 87.7 | 89.4 | 87.3 | 91.1 | 91.2 | 97.4 |
| FL | 119.5 | 118.6 | 100 | 86.9 | 91.2 | 92.9 | 89.2 | 91.7 | 95.2 | 96.8 |
| GA | 124.4 | 126 | 108.4 | 94.7 | 95.8 | 97.6 | 95.7 | 99.1 | 101.9 | 104.9 |
| HI | 105.5 | 106.1 | 84 | 72.5 | 76.8 | 74 | 73 | 70.7 | 72.3 | 74.2 |
| ID | 118.7 | 124.3 | 105.1 | 88.2 | 94.5 | 99 | 95 | 94.4 | 98.6 | 95.4 |
| IL | 111.1 | 112 | 92.8 | 79.8 | 82.8 | 84.6 | 85.8 | 85.1 | 89.3 | 90.1 |
| IN | 119.6 | 119.9 | 101.1 | 85.3 | 89.5 | 93.3 | 88.6 | 91.9 | 94.2 | 94.3 |
| IA | 109.7 | 110.6 | 90.2 | 80.4 | 82.2 | 86.1 | 84 | 86.5 | 86.2 | 87.9 |
| KS | 115.6 | 112.6 | 92.5 | 82 | 82.4 | 87.7 | 86.4 | 88.2 | 90.5 | 94.4 |
| KY | 114.8 | 116.4 | 100.9 | 84.8 | 88.8 | 89.8 | 88.7 | 89.2 | 92.3 | 92.9 |
| LA | 121.6 | 125.4 | 110.2 | 93.3 | 97.4 | 99.4 | 93.3 | 95 | 100.1 | 97.8 |
| ME | 109.5 | 111.3 | 87.1 | 74.9 | 77.2 | 80.1 | 80 | 78.9 | 83.6 | 82.4 |
| MD | 112.3 | 113.9 | 93.7 | 79.5 | 83.7 | 88.1 | 85 | 88.4 | 90.8 | 90.3 |
| MA | 107.7 | 107.7 | 89.9 | 75.7 | 77.1 | 83.9 | 83.2 | 83.3 | 85.5 | 83.8 |
| MI | 113.1 | 114.5 | 94.6 | 80.1 | 81.3 | 88 | 85.2 | 87.5 | 90.9 | 92.1 |
| MN | 115 | 116 | 93 | 79.5 | 78.7 | 90.1 | 87.6 | 89.6 | 94.3 | 93.1 |
| MS | 122.4 | 123.3 | 106.3 | 94.2 | 93.5 | 97.5 | 92.2 | 93.3 | 97.6 | 95.7 |
| MO | 119.4 | 120.7 | 101.4 | 88 | 90.4 | 91.4 | 88.9 | 91.8 | 95.4 | 96.4 |
| MT | 116.3 | 115.1 | 100.2 | 85.7 | 91.7 | 96 | 87 | 86.4 | 91.9 | 97.5 |
| NE | 117 | 119.3 | 93.5 | 83.5 | 88.2 | 87.8 | 85 | 93 | 95.6 | 92.4 |
| NV | 120.4 | 121.8 | 95.8 | 85.9 | 86.1 | 86.6 | 86.7 | 90.2 | 92.1 | 92.5 |
| NH | 110.6 | 109.5 | 91 | 77.4 | 76.2 | 83.4 | 81.2 | 79.3 | 82.7 | 82.6 |
| NJ | 111.6 | 111.8 | 91.7 | 79.6 | 80.9 | 86.7 | 85.2 | 87.5 | 90.3 | 90.6 |
| NM | 111.5 | 115 | 100.1 | 87.1 | 87 | 92.3 | 83.5 | 87.4 | 86.9 | 89.1 |
| NY | 112.2 | 112.4 | 94.5 | 81.5 | 82.5 | 88.4 | 88.9 | 89.5 | 92 | 92.5 |
| NC | 119.7 | 121.3 | 99.4 | 88.7 | 91.4 | 92.9 | 91.4 | 93.3 | 95.4 | 96.7 |
| ND | 115.6 | 116.9 | 100.6 | 79.7 | 85.4 | 86.9 | 88.3 | 85.5 | 87.4 | 89.9 |
| OH | 114.9 | 116.6 | 96.8 | 82.5 | 85.7 | 89.3 | 86.1 | 87.9 | 93.3 | 94.6 |
| OK | 117.6 | 118.9 | 103.3 | 90.6 | 90.5 | 90 | 89.6 | 90.7 | 95.5 | 94.3 |
| OR | 109.3 | 107.3 | 88.6 | 77.3 | 76.5 | 78.7 | 78.3 | 81.7 | 83.1 | 86.1 |
| PA | 114.1 | 114.8 | 95.3 | 80.3 | 83.4 | 88.7 | 87.4 | 89.6 | 91.4 | 93.1 |
| RI | 110.7 | 111 | 87 | 79.3 | 81.9 | 84.3 | 82.1 | 89.4 | 89.9 | 88.4 |
| SC | 121.3 | 124.1 | 105 | 90.9 | 93.1 | 93.3 | 90.9 | 95.2 | 98 | 98.2 |
| SD | 111.5 | 115 | 98.4 | 80.5 | 88.1 | 88.3 | 94.5 | 95 | 91.7 | 87.9 |
| TN | 122 | 123.2 | 103.1 | 92.6 | 93 | 95.3 | 90.1 | 94.5 | 96.3 | 96 |
| TX | 120.8 | 120.6 | 103 | 87.8 | 91 | 92.9 | 91.4 | 93.6 | 96.4 | 98.5 |
| UT | 122 | 123.2 | 102.3 | 88.5 | 94.4 | 94 | 87.5 | 89.1 | 95.7 | 96.5 |
| VT | 99.6 | 95.1 | 83.3 | 70 | 75 | 76.6 | 76.6 | 79.6 | 75.3 | 77.7 |
| VA | 118.5 | 118.8 | 102.5 | 86.5 | 89.6 | 91.4 | 91.1 | 90 | 94.1 | 93.6 |
| WA | 109.9 | 107.4 | 89.3 | 80.8 | 83.1 | 83.9 | 82.3 | 84.2 | 85.2 | 86 |
| WV | 108.6 | 111.6 | 99.4 | 85.4 | 87.1 | 88.6 | 84.3 | 86 | 91.1 | 92.9 |
| WI | 111.3 | 112.3 | 88.3 | 78.9 | 80.7 | 85.6 | 84.6 | 83.7 | 88.6 | 90.2 |
| WY | 116.3 | 124.2 | 103.3 | 90.6 | 89.4 | 87.8 | 91.8 | 88.6 | 100.3 | 94.2 |
The Morning Consult survey polled 2,019 registered voters and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points. See the toplines and crosstabs.
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