Trump holds an even bigger advantage when Republicans are asked who they believe will win the nomination. More than four in 10 (42 percent) name Trump, while 15 percent say Carson and 12 percent say Bush. A nearly identical percentage say they believe Trump has the best chance among the GOP field of winning a general election.

Trump is rated best on five of eight attributes. His most significant calling card in the GOP race appears to be the perception of him as a leader, with 47 percent saying they see Trump as the strongest leader in the GOP field. That compares to just 12 percent who name Bush and 11 percent who name Rubio.

The reality TV star also scores highest on the question of who among the Republicans is best able to deal with immigration issues. Trump has taken a hard-line stance on immigration, including calls for deporting the millions of undocumented immigrants already in the country.