As a general matter, presidential poll numbers this far before an election, especially with a field as large as the current Republican one, do not tell us much.

But the NBC News poll out this evening following the first 2016 Republican presidential debates — notably showing Sen. Ted Cruz surging to the number two spot in the field with 13 percent support among likely Republican primary voters — may reveal something worthy of interest.

(Image Source: NBC News Online Survey: Public Opinion on Republican Debates. August 9, 2015)

(Image Source: NBC News Online Survey: Public Opinion on Republican Debates. August 9, 2015)

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