The former neurosurgeon is impressing evangelical voters, a demographic where the crass businessman has struggled to engage with.
Ben Carson has gained the support of 28 percent of likely Republican voters compared to Donald Trump’s 19 percent, according to a newly released the Des Moines Register/Bloomberg Politics poll.
While this may be good news for the Carson campaign, the New York Times reports that Mr Trump remains unfazed.
"We’ll see what happens, but certainly, we have a long road to go,” he said during an interview Thursday night on Fox Business Network.
The real-estate mogul and near billion dollar heir continues to flex his esteemed business acumen during recent trips to the Hawkeye State.
“I’m a good Christian — If I become president, we’re gonna be saying Merry Christmas at every store,” he said to supporters this week, according to CNN.
The pair have had great success airing racist and inflammatory comments toward Mexican immigrants, Muslims and mass shooting victims. Mr Trump's latest snafu will likely hurt him, if anything, as he retweeted the following message for Iowa voters after the new poll broke out.
"'@mygreenhippo #BenCarson is now leading in the #polls in #Iowa. Too much #Monsanto in the #corn creates issues in the brain? #Trump #GOP.'" The retweet has since been deleted and Mr Trump provided this clarifcation: "The young intern who accidentally did a Retweet apologizes."
Both candidates will face off October 28 in the third GOP debate on CNBC. The pair will likely have a Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders-like moment where the two embrace and Mr Carson makes a solid play for a vice presidential bid.
