BUSH LEADS IN EARLY POLL – AT 10:56 A.M. ET:  These early presidential polls are more fun than anything else, but at least they stir the pot a bit.  From the Washington Examiner: 

Jeb Bush is the front-runner for the Republican ticket in 2016, according to a new poll.

The former Florida governor was backed by 23 percent of respondents in a CNN/ORC poll. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie came in second, with 13 percent; physician Ben Carson grabbed 7 percent; and Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul and ex-Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee both tallied 6 percent.

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan each scored 5 percent, while Texas Sen. Ted Cruz polled at 4 percent.

Bush is one of the few candidates in the field to announce he's exploring a presidential run.

Of the Democratic respondents polled, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was the runaway favorite at 66 percent, followed by Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren at 9 percent.

In head-to-head match-ups with Clinton, it's Bush who fared best out of the GOP field. The poll found he'd grab 41 percent of the vote compared to Clinton's 54 percent. Ryan was the second-best, falling behind Clinton in a 56-41 split.

COMMENT:  I get the feeling that this poll was largely a reflection of name recognition.  And, oddly, Mitt Romney seems to have been left out. 

On the Democratic side, Hillary only polls 54% against Bush, which is hardly impressive.  She isn't running away with anything.

December 28,  2014