Polls: Walker leads in GOP field in Iowa; Clinton running away among Democrats

DES MOINES - Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker leads the field of 2016 GOP presidential hopefuls and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has the support of nearly two-thirds of Iowa Democrats, according to two new polls.

Walker, who will decide in June whether to formally enter the race for the Republican nomination, leads the slate of Republicans in the Loras College Poll with 12.6 percent support to 10 percent for Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, 9.6 percent for former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and 22.8 percent undecided.

Walker also leads a Public Policy Polling poll of Republican primary voters with 23 percent to 13 percent for Rubio, 12 percent for Bush and 10 each for former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky

Among Democrats, Clinton leads the PPP poll with 62 percent to 14 percent for Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, 6 percent for former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley and 3 percent for former Sen. Jim Webb of Virginia.

Despite Walker's lead, Loras College Poll Director and political scientist Christopher Budzisz said Rubio is the story of the poll based on the he got from his campaign kickoff.

'It remains to be seen whether this is a temporary ‘blip' or something more,” Budzisz said.

Walker, Tom Jensen of PPP said, has a 59 percent favorability rating and is winning both among voters who are most concerned about electability in the general election and among voters who are most concerned with having the most conservative candidate.

Budzisz expects the field to change because it may take some time, especially social and religious conservatives, to coalesce behind one or two of candidates.

Rounding out the GOP field are Huckabee, 8.6 percent; Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, 6.5 percent; Paul, 6.3 percent; New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, 5.1 percent; former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, 3.5 percent; Donald Trump, 3.1 percent; former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, 2.6 percent; Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, Ohio Gov. John Kasich and former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina, all 1 percent.