WBUR Poll: Ben Carson Closing in on Donald Trump in N.H.'s Primary Race

Looks like retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson is closing in on real estate mogul Donald Trump's lead in the 2016 Republican presidential primary in New Hampshire, according to a poll released Wednesday morning.

WBUR's first poll of the race found that Trump is leading the field of GOP hopefuls still, but Carson is making gains. With a margin of error of 4.9 percent, Trump polled at 22 percent, while Carson polled at 18 percent.

Meanwhile, former HP CEO Carly Fiorina came in third place with 11 percent. Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, who was the front-runner in the Granite State at one time, is now tied with Ohio Gov. John Kasich at 9 percent. The next highest ranking candidate in the poll, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, polled at 5 percent.

Five candidates - South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, former New York Gov. George Pataki and former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore - have less than 1 percent in WBUR's poll.

Interestingly, the poll found that the 87 percent of likely primary voters in New Hampshire say it's "very important" for their candidate to say "what he or she truly believes."

The majority of Trump and Carson's supporters in New Hampshire say it's "very important" for a candidate to say "what he or she truly believes."

The poll comes ahead of Wednesday night's CNN debate, the second debate between Republican candidates.

Since the first debate on Aug. 6, non-establishment candidates have dominated the the Republican primary field, with Trump skyrocketing to the top of the polls and Carson making significant gains into second place, while establishment candidates such as Bush and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker have seen wilting poll numbers. 

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