National Organization for Marriage's 4 Champions of Marriage advance, three of them clinging to Carson's pants cuffs.

The National Organization for Marriage has issued a number of press release/money begs announcing they have "identified" four Republican presidential candidates who have "emerged from the field" as "champions of marriage." 

This week the field is sorting into the National Honor Society champions of marriage in one group, and the Remedial Champs on the other.

In the first camp is Ben Carson and Ted Cruz. Carson is #2 in the Trumparty contest, only 13.8 points behind The Donald. Cruz, at 7%, is 22.8% behind.

The remedial class is occupied by former antigay hearthrob Rick Santorum, at 1%, and Bobby Jindal, still trying to break into one digit.

All four of the Champions of Marriage, added together, run 5.5% behind Trump. Overall, Carson is carrying the average of the NOM 4 up a point a week.

We're tracking the Real Clear Politics averaging of all polls and posting how the NOM champions are faring in the overall Trumparty nomination race. RCP ranks the top 15 of the 17 candidates: this week, Gilmore and Pataki remain underwater.

Here, from the RCP averages for August 20-September 9, is the first standings: 

1. Ben Carson 

Average Poll Rating 8/9-25: 10.3% Avg. Overall Field Ranking: 2 
Average Poll Rating 8/11-9/2: 13.2% Avg. Overall Field Ranking: 2
Average Poll Rating 8/20-9/8: 16% Avg. Overall Field Ranking: 2

2. Ted Cruz 

Average Poll Rating 8/9-25: 7.3% Avg. Overall Field Ranking: 5 
Average Poll Rating 8/11-9/2: 7.2% Avg. Overall Field Ranking: 
Average Poll Rating 8/20-9/8: 7% Avg. Overall Field Ranking: 4

3. Rick Santorum 

Average Poll Rating 8/9-25: 1% Avg. Overall Field Ranking: 13 
Average Poll Rating 8/11-9/2: 1% Avg. Overall Field Ranking: 13
Average Poll Rating 8/20-9/8: 1% Avg. Overall Field Ranking: 12

4. Bobby Jindal 

Average Poll Rating 8/9-25: 0.5% Avg. Overall Field Ranking: 14 
Average Poll Rating 8/11-9/2: 0.2% Avg. Overall Field Ranking: 14
Average Poll Rating 8/20-9/8: 0.3% Avg. Overall Field Ranking: 14

Average 8/9-25 Poll Rating of the Marriage Champions as a group: 4.77% 
Average 8/11-9/2 Poll Rating of the Marriage Champions as a group: 5.35% 
Average 8/20-9/8 Poll Rating of the Marriage Champions as a group: 6.07%