A new Iowa poll puts Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) a stone's throw away from longtime presidential frontrunner Donald Trump. Here's the breakdown of the top four:
Cruz has more than doubled his support in Iowa since October, The New York Times explains, crediting his momentum with the passionate anti-terror rhetoric he has voiced since the carnage in Paris. Last week, after Obama criticized him and his Republican colleagues for stirring unnecessary "hysteria" over the coming influx of Syrian refugees, Cruz told the president to "insult him to his face."Mr. Cruz, the Republican Texas senator, was the choice of 23 percent of likely Republican caucusgoers in the new poll, from Quinnipiac University, following Mr. Trump at 25 percent and ahead of Mr. Carson at 18 percent. Senator Marco Rubio of Florida was in fourth with 13 percent. The margin of error was plus or minus four percentage points.
The senator's bold comments have seem to have convinced Iowans he is the candidate most capable to handle foreign policy. A majority, 24 percent, said they would trust him with those decisions.
Foreign policy and terrorism were deemed to be the most important issues in the 2016 election.