NASHVILLE – A new poll released Sunday shows Donald Trump leading the pack among likely Republican voters in Tennessee, even as another member of the state’s GOP establishment lined up behind Florida Sen. Marco Rubio.
U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., has endorsed Rubio and plans to appear with him and Gov. Bill Haslam, who endorsed Rubio last week and is appearing in an ad for him.
The NBC News/Wall Street Journal/Marist polls released in advance of Super Tuesday primaries favored Trump, who appeared before a cheering throng Saturday near Memphis.
The billionare and reality TV star had 40 percent of the vote compared to 22 percent for his nearest rival, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, and 19 percent for Rubio. But the Republican contest is much tighter in Georgia, according to the polls.
Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson had 9 percent while Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who appeared in Nashville on Saturday, ranked at the bottom with 6 percent.