Former US president Donald Trump holds a commanding lead over his Republican rivals in the state of Iowa, where the party's presidential nominating contest begins in January, according to an opinion poll released on Monday.
The Des Moines Register/NBC News/Mediacom survey of likely Iowa Republican caucus goers shows Mr Trump has the backing of 42 per cent, with Florida governor Ron DeSantis at 19 per cent and US senator Tim Scott in third place with 9 per cent.
Other Republican candidates in the crowded field aiming to take on Democratic president Joe Biden in the November 2024 election registered in lower single-digit numbers.
Even so, J. Ann Selzer, the veteran Iowa pollster whose firm conducted the survey, said the race is not settled and might be "closer than it may first seem".
A majority - or 52 per cent - said they had a first choice for president but could still be persuaded to support a different candidate, while 40 per cent said their minds were made up.
Among Trump supporters, however, 66 per cent said their vote was set, while 34 per cent said they could be persuaded to change their minds.
Mr Trump's four indictments showed little signs of deterring his supporters. The poll found 65 per cent of likely Republican caucus goers didn't think Mr Trump had committed serious crimes, compared with the 26 per cent who believed he had.
The poll was conducted August 13th - 17th, coinciding with news on August 14th that a Georgia grand jury had issued an indictment accusing him of efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss to Mr Biden.
The survey came ahead of Wednesday's first Republican primary debate, which Mr Trump has said he will skip, citing his large lead in polls.
A national CBS poll on Sunday showed Mr Trump was the preferred candidate for 62 per cent of Republican voters, with Mr DeSantis trailing behind at 16 per cent.
