It’s not brain surgery: Understated ex-medico Ben Carson gets traction amid Trump frenzy

An outsider candidate with no political experience could shake up the Republican field - but it’s not Donald Trump.

As the media continues to swarm over Trump, retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson has quietly risen to the top tier of the crowded Republican presidential lineup, which features 18 candidates.

Yet while Trump has surged to the top of the pack with a brash, outspoken manner that can more closely resemble insult comedy rather than traditional politics, the appeal of the quiet, understated Carson is rooted in his calm bedside manner and earnest religious faith.

A strong finish to an otherwise subdued performance in the first Republican debate has been credited with reawakening interest in Carson, who saw the largest post-debate gain in a national Fox News survey released over the weekend. The poll found that while Trump was still strongly ahead with 25 per cent, Carson had shot up five points and into second place with 12 per cent.

Other surveys, including one in the key early voting state of Iowa, have also observed a boost in Carson’s numbers and placed him in the top three GOP candidates since the debate.