Hold on to your hats, folks—the Republican field looks ripe for a raucous primary, based on
new NBC/Marist polling that finds double-digit support for seven different candidates in at least one of three early voting states: Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina.
The early betting line for these critical states "points to a rough-and-tumble Republican nomination battle," says pollster Lee Miringoff, director of the Marist College Institute for Public Opinion.
But the poll also places Jeb Bush and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker in two of the top three positions—each with double-digit support—in all three states. The only two contenders to top Bush and Walker were Mike Huckabee in Iowa, where Huckabee's social conservative credentials are like catnip to the GOP base, and Sen. Lindsey Graham in South Carolina, the senator's home state.
Hillary Clinton continues to dominate the Democratic field. In both Iowa and New Hampshire, Clinton leads her next closest Democratic opponent (Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders respectively) by more than 50 points (68-12 percent in Iowa, and 69-13 percent in New Hampshire). In South Carolina, Clinton beats Biden by 45 points, 65-20 percent. The poll did not include Sen. Elizabeth Warren because she has repeatedly said she's not running for Congress.
Here's a look at the GOP polls:
Iowa
New Hampshire
South Carolina