Donald Trump is still clinging to first place nationally after his second-place finish in the Iowa caucuses Monday, but his lead has diminished significantly. The first post-Iowa national poll out Thursday by Democratic firm Public Policy Polling reveals that Trump dropped 9 points from the last poll released mid-December, from 34 percent to 25 percent.
While Iowa hurt Trump's numbers, it's having the exact opposite effect on Florida Sen. Marco Rubio's chances. The third-place finisher in the Iowa caucuses climbed 8 points from the last poll to tie with Texas Sen. Ted Cruz for second place nationally, with 21 percent support each. That 4-point margin marks a significantly narrower lead for Trump than he had in December, when he led Cruz by 16 points and Rubio by 21 points.
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