USA Today survey finds Donald Trump fading, names Carly Fiorina GOP 'queen of the hill'

Carly Fiorina is No. 1 — at least among USA Today&#039;s panel of experts

(Image credit: Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

Donald Trump may be leading in the polls, but that won't last, USA Today predicts, citing its GOP Power Rankings experts. For the first time, Trump was knocked out of the No. 1 spot in the rankings, and Carly Fiorina jumped to first place — or "queen of the hill," as USA Today puts it. "Our panel of about 30 smart political minds agreed that Fiorina is rising and Trump appearing to fade," the newspaper said. In the No. 3 slot is Sen. Marco Rubio (Fla.), whose rise from sixth place was driven, as was Fiorina's by a strong debate performance last week.

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who dropped out of the 2016 race after the rankings were compiled, fell to 11th place, from 9th, but still scored higher than five other Republican contenders.

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.