Poll: Trump Running As Independent Would Crush GOP’s 2016 Chances

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump prepares to speak during a campaign appearance, Thursday, July 23, 2015, at the World Trade Bridge border crossing in Laredo, Texas. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)
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A poll released Friday showed that Donald Trump would completely blow the Republican Party’s chances of winning the presidency in 2016 if he ran as an independent.

The McClatchy-Marist Poll of potential voters nationwide showed that in a three-way general election, Democrat Hillary Clinton would lead with 44 percent of votes, former Gov. Jeb Bush (R) with 29 percent, and Trump as an independent with 20 percent.

In a two-way election with Bush, according to the poll, Clinton would have a 6-point lead — 49 percent to 43 percent.

The survey was conducted with live interviewers over the phone among almost 1,249 adults throughout the nation from July 22 to July 28. The margin of error was plus or minus 2.8 percentage points.

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Notable Replies

  1. Run Trump (I), Run! Run Trump (I), RUN!!! Show 'em just what the Donald is MADE OF! He’s MADE OF 100% AMERICAN exceptionalism through and through! Not that imported exceptionalism crap either…just GENUINE GRADE-A prime full blooded AMERICAN MALE VIRILITY exceptionalism! A VOTE for Trump is a VOTE for AMERICAN greatness, AMERICAN power, AMERICAN leadership! Trump will snap Iran’s neck like a chicken, he will send the ALIENS fleeing to the border in a mad dash!

    HE
    WILL
    BE
    TRUMP!!!1!1!11!!!

  2. The good news Mr. Trump is that it will keep you in the headlines all the way up to the general election and beyond. Run Trump, run.

  3. “Donald Trump would completely blow the Republican Party’s chances of winning the presidency in 2016 if he ran as an independent.”

    Or if he ran as a Republican.

  4. Trump has no intention of running in this race, or even winning the Republican primary. He’s a bloviating blowhard and a misogynistic racist, but he’s not stupid. He’s collecting support to lend to whoever does become the candidate, so he can get favors should they win the White House.

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