http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf...rt_in_pos.html

Trump increases lead, Christie gains support in post-GOP debate poll

By Brent Johnson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
on September 24, 2015 at 8:48 AM

TRENTON — Donald Trump increased his lead slightly over his Republican rivals while Gov. Chris Christie gained some steam in the wake of the second 2016 GOP presidential debate last week, a new poll shows.

The Fox News poll released Wednesday shows 26 percent of likely Republican primary voters backing Trump — an increase of one percentage point since the cable news network's last poll, taken just after the first GOP debate in August.

Running behind the billionaire businessman are two other political outsiders in the crowded race. Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson remained in second place, this time drawing 18 percent — a six-point uptick from last month.

And bolstered by strong performance in the second debate last Wednesday, former Helwett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina jumped four percentage points to move into a tie for third place at 9 percent with U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida.