by Gabby Morrongiello • 2/23/16 2:15 PM

Donald Trump has a commanding lead in Arizona, but a new poll shows fellow Republican presidential hopeful Marco Rubio is on the rise and quickly closing the gap between him and the billionaire in the Grand Canyon State.

While Trump continues to dominate his remaining four opponents, leading the field with 34.8 percent support among Arizona Republicans in the latest MBQF Consulting poll, Rubio has jumped into second place at 22.7 percent. Survey results from September showed the Florida senator at just 4 percent support and led by two candidates — former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and businesswoman Carly Fiorina — who have since exited the 2016 race.

Cruz is now third behind Trump and Rubio with just over 14 percent support, while Ohio Gov. John Kasich carries 7.1 percent. Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, who drew 21 percent support in the September MBQF survey, was not included in this month's poll.

Rubio on Monday announced the endorsement of Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake, with whom he worked closely on the Senate's bipartisan "Gang of Eight" immigration bill in 2013. The devout Mormon senator is likely to boost Rubio's support among Arizona Mormons, who made up 14 percent of the electorate in the state's 2012 primary and voted 93 percent for former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

"I'm supporting Marco Rubio for president because he has the ideas, the principles, and the toughness necessary to bring reform to Washington," Flake said in a statement about his endorsement. "In an election where serious solutions are seriously lacking, Marco Rubio has proven that he can inspire more than just anger in Americans who are looking for an alternative to the status quo."

To make it to Arizona, a winner take all primary with 58 delegates to be held March 22, Rubio will need to finish strong in several of the Super Tuesday states and in Nevada's Republican caucus. The GOP race has been described as a three way contest between him, Trump and Cruz. But unlike the other two, Rubio has yet to have a first-place finish in the primary season.

Rubio is currently third on the Washington Examiner's presidential power rankings, while Trump is first.

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/ar...rticle/2583974