The only one of the declared presidential candidates that Americans have positive feelings for overall isn't a frontrunner and has never held public office before.

According to a poll released Thursday by Public Policy Polling, retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson is the sole presidential candidate whose favorability rating is higher than his or her unfavorability rating.

When asked about Carson, 41 percent of the respondents in the national poll reported that they felt favorably about him, compared to 30 percent who have an unfavorable view.

That puts him well ahead of all the other candidates in the field, though 29 percent of respondents said they were not familiar enough with Carson to make a judgment about him, suggesting that those numbers could change as he becomes more widely known.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/only-one-favorable-candidate-in-the-race-2015-9#ixzz3kk1FskGq