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# Fighting the Establishment: Ben Carson Joins Donald Trump at Front of GOP Field
- URL: https://ivn.us/fighting-establishment-ben-carson-joins-donald-trump-top-gop-field/
- Published: 2015-09-03T09:30:06.000Z
- Updated: 2026-06-22T19:51:20.000Z
- Author: Caitlin Hurkes
- Tags: News

Dr. **[Ben Carson](https://ivn.us/tag/ben-carson)**'s recent surge in the polls is no doubt related to Americans' sentiments against establishment politicians. With [45 percent](https://ivn.us/2015/07/06/poll-independents-will-soon-outnumber-republicans-democrats-combined/) of Americans self-identifying as independent and [71 percent](http://www.quinnipiac.edu/news-and-events/quinnipiac-university-poll/national/release-detail?ReleaseID=2275&ref=ivn.us) of Americans dissatisfied with the way the nation is heading, this anti-establishment trend should not come as a surprise.

According to a recent national [poll](http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/2015/PPP%5FRelease%5FNational%5F90115.pdf?ref=ivn.us), the retired neurosurgeon has the highest favorability rating of any GOP candidate. He stands at 68 percent compared to **[Marco Rubio](https://ivn.us/tag/marco-rubio)** (58 percent) and **[Donald Trump](https://ivn.us/tag/donald-trump)** (56 percent). A Monmouth University [poll](http://www.monmouth.edu/assets/0/32212254770/32212254991/32212254992/32212254994/32212254995/30064771087/85775b52-ec99-4ad3-bbee-14826bdf86e5.pdf?ref=ivn.us) released Monday showed that among Iowa Republicans, Carson and Trump tie for first at 23 percent, followed by **[Carly Fiorina](https://ivn.us/tag/carly-fiorina)** at 10 percent.

"Trump's support is currently more solid than Carson's, but Iowa voters are still considering quite a few candidates before they come to a final decision," Patrick Murray, director of the independent Monmouth University Polling Institute, explained.

When asked if the country needs a president from outside Washington, [66 percent](http://www.monmouth.edu/assets/0/32212254770/32212254991/32212254992/32212254994/32212254995/30064771087/85775b52-ec99-4ad3-bbee-14826bdf86e5.pdf?ref=ivn.us) of Iowa Republicans agree that new blood, even without political experience, is necessary. Among all Americans, [48 percent](http://www.quinnipiac.edu/news-and-events/quinnipiac-university-poll/national/release-detail?ReleaseID=2275&ref=ivn.us) prefer a political outsider as president compared to a candidate with experience.

This same question, broken down by party, gives credence to why political outsiders in the GOP race are polling remarkably well compared to their establishment opponents. Among Republicans polled, [78 percent](http://www.quinnipiac.edu/news-and-events/quinnipiac-university-poll/national/release-detail?ReleaseID=2275&ref=ivn.us) prefer an outsider, compared to [18 percent](http://www.quinnipiac.edu/news-and-events/quinnipiac-university-poll/national/release-detail?ReleaseID=2275&ref=ivn.us) for Democrats, and [55 percent](http://www.quinnipiac.edu/news-and-events/quinnipiac-university-poll/national/release-detail?ReleaseID=2275&ref=ivn.us) of independents.However, that being said, will any of these political outsiders be able to solve the problem of government gridlock on their own? Will these political outsiders, if elected, continue down the divisive road of partisan politics?

A significant part of Carson's, Trump's, and Fiorina's appeal is that they are anti-establishment politicians, but does this truly mean their actions, once in office, will differ from presidents in the past?

The executive office is only one of three branches and does not function solely by itself. Whoever is elected, establishment or not, will still have to work with a Congress that is highly partisan.

*Photo Credit: [AP](http://www.kjct8.com/home/headlines/322163092.html?ref=ivn.us)*