Real estate mogul Donald Trump continued to lead among Republican primary voters, receiving nearly double the support of his nearest GOP rival in a Fox News poll released Sunday.
Trump polled at 25 percent followed by former neurosurgeon Dr. Ben Carson at 12 percent, Sen. Ted Cruz (TX) at 10 percent and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush at 9 percent. Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker trailed behind the pack at 6 percent.
The survey showed establishment candidates taking a beating compared to earlier Fox News polls.
Walker polled at 15 percent in a Fox poll just a month ago, putting him almost neck and neck with Trump at the time.
Bush saw a 6-point drop in this poll. He consistently polled in double digits since May but has been unable to overcome Trump’s numbers.
Despite his continued poll domination, the Fox News poll found Trump was the least likable of the 17 presidential candidates at 37 percent. (Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul was the closest contender at 11 percent.)
Carson polled as the most likable candidate among Republican primary voters at 19 percent.
The poll was conducted among 1,008 registered voters from August 11 to 13 by cell phone and landline. The margin of error was plus or minus 3 percent.
The attraction of Republicans to Trump is obvious, he is their nasty, mean spirited id. The one I don’t get is Carson. Other than being Republicans token black man I can’t see the allure. Maybe his semi-conscious, mumbling delivery gives them a warm and cozy? Who knows? Carson is this years Cain/Bachmann.
This is a Fox “News” poll. Fox, the organization who sponsored a debate in which it’s own moderators spent most of their time trying to destroy Trump’s candidacy. With Trump, Carson, and Cruz polling at a combined 47%, that says to me that the Republican base is ready to buck the establishment and go all in on “teh crazy”.
Each poll putting Trump far out ahead of his rivals makes it that much harder for the GOP to offer Trump anything to bow out, and will make it that much easier for Trump to justify a third party run.
A third-party run by Trump could split the Republican party into two factions and give us an actual third party. The GOP would likely move left as the crazy part of their base was no longer pulling them right. It would be a very interesting dynamic to live through.
As I’ve said elsewhere on this site, he’s only in the lead because there are so many other candidates. Trump’s rating is probably going to stay at 20-25% later on, when the others start dropping out, and their supporters will probably not go to Trump.
Ah, hahahahaha! Suck it, republi-cons! Welcome President Hillary or President Sanders.