GOP Presidential Hopeful Marco Rubio Visits Big D Wednesday

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DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - With less than a month to go before the first in the nation Iowa caucus, Republican presidential hopeful Marco Rubio brings his campaign to Dallas on Wednesday.

While here, the Florida Senator will hold a rally at the Westin Dallas Park Central hotel between 4:30-5:30 p.m., then attend a private fundraiser.

Rubio is a top-tier candidate.

He is in the top three for each of the first three states holding caucuses and primaries.

In the Real Clear Politics average of polls in Iowa, Rubio is in third place with 12 percent. He trails billionaire Donald Trump who has 31 percent and Texas Senator Ted Cruz with 27 percent.

Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson has 9 percent and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush has 5 percent. The Real Clear Politics average of polls in New Hampshire shows Rubio in second place with 13 percent, following Trump who has 26 percent.

Cruz has 12 percent, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has 11 percent, and Ohio Governor John Kasich has 10 percent.

In the Real Clear Politics average of polls in South Carolina, Rubio comes in third place with 13 percent. He's behind Trump with 34 percent and Cruz with 19 percent.

Carson follows Rubio with 11 percent, followed by Bush at 7 percent.

Political analysts say Rubio has performed well during the debates, and some in the GOP believe he has the best chance to beat Democratic front-runner and presumed Democratic nominee, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

But other analysts believe Rubio hasn't capitalized enough on his debate performances to climb in the polls.

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