Donald Trump leading Republican candidates in new presidential poll

Donald Trump, who drew backlash after accusing Mexico of sending criminals to live in the United States, is the top candidate among likely Republican primary voters, according to poll results released Tuesday.

Trump beat out former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush by 3 percentage points in a Suffolk University/USA Today presidential poll, coming in with 17 percent among polled potential voters.

The businessman also muscled out Texas candidates U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, who came in with 6 percent, and former Gov. Rick Perry, who polled at less than 2 percent. Thirty percent of respondents remain undecided.

"Trump is making daily headlines in advance of the primary season," David Paleologos, director of the Suffolk University Political Research Center, said in a news release. "This has vaulted him to the top of the pack on the backs of conservative voters. But when you expand the electoral pool to include Democrats and independents that potency dissipates."

But, while Trump leads among Republican candidates, he falls 17 points behind in a face-off with Democratic favorite Hillary Clinton, according to poll results. The poll included responses from 1,000 likely Republican primary voters who were polled over the phone.