Numerous web-based polls released after Tuesday night's fifth Republican presidential debate show that Americans believe Donald Trump performed best on stage in Las Vegas.
Fifty percent of respondents in Time's online poll said that the debate winner was Trump, who appeared more comfortable than in previous debates and got his loudest applause after reassuring Republican voters that he would honor his pledge and support the eventual GOP nominee.
Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, one of Trump's most vocal critics during the debate, placed second in Time's poll, with 15 percent, followed by Florida Sen. Marco Rubio with 11 percent. Over 16,000 votes had been cast as of late Wednesday morning.
Trump also came out on top with 43.62 percent in a poll on the conservative website The Drudge Report, which had over 300,000 votes cast. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who has settled in to second place in the national polls and surged ahead of Trump in a couple polls from Iowa, took second place in terms of debate performance, receiving 26.7 percent support, and Paul placed third with 13.05 percent.
Slate's flash poll showed Trump dominating his competitors as well, taking 51 percent, compared to Paul's 14 percent and Rubio's eight percent.
Trump scored his biggest victory in Newsmax's poll, in which 79 percent of respondents said he won the debate. Cruz took second with 12 percent and Rubio third with two percent.
CBS Philly's poll found Trump out front with 55.24 percent, trailed by Paul with 21.6 percent and Cruz with 8.75 percent.
And Trump also won the poll on Syracuse.com, with 42 percent. Paul came next with 20 percent and Cruz followed with 17 percent.
It was a different story for Trump in polls for The Blaze, The Washington Times and Fox 5 San Diego.
Cruz, with 39 percent, took first in The Blaze's poll, followed by Trump at 36 percent and Paul with 12 percent. In The Washington Times' poll, Paul came out in front with 58 percent, Trump placed second with 48 percent and Cruz got third with 16 percent. Paul was also the victor in Fox 5 San Diego's poll, with 46 percent, compared to Trump's 35 percent and Cruz's six percent.
Online snap polls are not conducted scientifically and are not statistically representative of eligible primary voters. They do, however, measure which candidates have the most supportive - or social media savvy - online fan base.
