Donald Trump is still cleaning up in the online polls

Donald Trump at the FNB Republican debate

(Image credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images)

last updated 11 November 2015

Donald Trump's lackluster performance in the fourth GOP debate Tuesday night didn't affect his standing with his online fans. In what The Hill notes to be "several unscientific online polls" taken after the debate, Trump largely reigns supreme, which, perhaps, says more about the real estate mogul's staying power with online polltakers than anything about the direction of the 2016 election:

While online polls are unscientific, they can help gauge online enthusiasm and engagement among followers of particular candidates who are watching the debate. The Drudge poll drew nearly 200,000 votes, while the Time poll had nearly 20,000 respondents and Fox got 9,400. [The Hill]

Trump took 38 percent in the Drudge Report poll, followed by Ted Cruz (22 percent), Rand Paul (16 percent), and Marco Rubio (12 percent). In Time's poll, Trump led with 43 percent, with Paul in second with 19 percent. In the Fox News poll, which took place before the debate, Trump lost his first-place slot to Paul. A whopping 50 percent responded that they thought the libertarian senator would win, followed by Trump at 23 percent.