Washington, Sep 1 (IANS): Finally neurosurgeon Ben Carson has caught up with the frontrunner Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump in Iowa, one of the first four nominating states in the party primary, according to a new poll.
Trump and Carson are tied at 23 percent, according to the Monmouth University survey, making it the first time since July 26 that a poll in the first four states to select a Republican nominee did not find Trump substantially ahead of all other candidates.
Farther behind Trump and Carson were former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina, at 10 percent; Texas Senator Ted Cruz, at 9 percent; Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, at 7 percent and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush at 5 percent.
Louisiana's Indian-American governor Bobby Jindal polled below one percent.
The results are a stark contrast from Monmouth's last Iowa poll, taken before the first Republican debate. In late July, Walker led with 22 percent, Trump had 13 percent, Carson had 8 percent and Fiorina was at 3 percent.
A CNN/ORC poll taken earlier this month found a similar top tier of candidates, but with a much stronger lead for Trump.
In that poll, Trump was at 22 percent, Carson was at 14 percent, Walker was at 9 percent, Cruz was at 8 percent and Fiorina was at 7 percent.
In Monmouth's survey, when voters said they had strongly made up their mind on who they were voting for, Trump led Carson 30 percent to 22 percent.
But those with only slight preferences backed Carson 25 percent to Trump's 16 percent.
Meanwhile, during a campaign stop at Storm Lake, Iowa, Jindal suggested Trump's popularity is part of a "summer of silliness."
"We don't need another talker in the White House," said Jindal. "We need a doer, not a talker. So I think voters are going to focus on who can do this job."
"This is an important election. Not just who can give a great speech, but who can actually get the job done," he said.
Jindal said Trump and other candidates have tapped into frustrations that voters have with insiders in Washington.
Current polls show that Jindal may not be among the ten Republicans on stage for CNN's live televised debate in California on Sep 16. The seven Republican candidates, who don't make the cut, will take part in a separate debate, on the same day.