Six in 10 Republican voters in the poll
now say there are one or two candidates they’d prefer to see win over
the rest of the field, up from 48% who had identified favorites in July.
That consolidation is reflected in voters’ overall preferences. This
marks the second CNN/ORC poll in a row in which more than three-quarters
of Republicans now support one of the top four candidates (77% choose
one of Trump, Cruz, Carson or Rubio), and 57% now support one of the top
two candidates. That latter figure marks the highest share for any two
candidates combined this cycle.
now say there are one or two candidates they’d prefer to see win over
the rest of the field, up from 48% who had identified favorites in July.
That consolidation is reflected in voters’ overall preferences. This
marks the second CNN/ORC poll in a row in which more than three-quarters
of Republicans now support one of the top four candidates (77% choose
one of Trump, Cruz, Carson or Rubio), and 57% now support one of the top
two candidates. That latter figure marks the highest share for any two
candidates combined this cycle.
Trump’s
standing in the race for the nomination is bolstered by widely held
trust that he can best handle the top issues facing the nation. Trump
holds massive advantages over the rest of the field as the candidate
best able to handle the economy (57% Trump, his next closest competitors
are Cruz at 8%, Rubio at 7%, Carson at 6% and Bush at 5%), illegal
immigration (55% trust Trump, followed by Cruz at 15%, Rubio at 10%),
and ISIS (47% prefer Trump, 21% Cruz, 7% Bush and 6% Christie).
standing in the race for the nomination is bolstered by widely held
trust that he can best handle the top issues facing the nation. Trump
holds massive advantages over the rest of the field as the candidate
best able to handle the economy (57% Trump, his next closest competitors
are Cruz at 8%, Rubio at 7%, Carson at 6% and Bush at 5%), illegal
immigration (55% trust Trump, followed by Cruz at 15%, Rubio at 10%),
and ISIS (47% prefer Trump, 21% Cruz, 7% Bush and 6% Christie).
And
Republicans are coming around to the idea that the Republican Party has
its best shot at winning the presidency by nominating the New York real
estate mogul. Overall, 46% of GOP voters say the Republicans have a
better chance to win in 2016 with Trump as the party’s nominee, while
50% say the GOP has a better shot with someone else at the top of the
ticket. In August, just 38% said Trump brought the Republicans their
best chances.
Republicans are coming around to the idea that the Republican Party has
its best shot at winning the presidency by nominating the New York real
estate mogul. Overall, 46% of GOP voters say the Republicans have a
better chance to win in 2016 with Trump as the party’s nominee, while
50% say the GOP has a better shot with someone else at the top of the
ticket. In August, just 38% said Trump brought the Republicans their
best chances.
Perhaps obviously,
Trump’s supporters are most likely to think the GOP has its best shot
with Trump as its nominee (85% say so), but even among those who aren’t
current supporters, 21% think Trump would be better than the
alternative.
Trump’s supporters are most likely to think the GOP has its best shot
with Trump as its nominee (85% say so), but even among those who aren’t
current supporters, 21% think Trump would be better than the
alternative.
Among those who say the
party has a better shot with someone other than Trump, Cruz is the
preferred candidate, 25% would like to see him win the nomination, 16%
Rubio, 13% Carson, 9% are Trump backers, 8% Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, 7%
Christie and 4% each Bush and Kasich.
party has a better shot with someone other than Trump, Cruz is the
preferred candidate, 25% would like to see him win the nomination, 16%
Rubio, 13% Carson, 9% are Trump backers, 8% Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, 7%
Christie and 4% each Bush and Kasich.
There
are signs in the poll that Cruz’s debate performance may have helped
improve his appeal. Though he remains well behind Trump, Cruz gained
ground on the front-runner on handling illegal immigration and ISIS,
both a central focus of the debate’s questions, while Rubio and Carson
faded on both issues. Cruz’s favorability rating has jumped 22 points
among Republican voters since September, and he now holds the highest
favorability rating among Republican voters of any of the seven
candidates tested. He’s also posted the largest increase in favorability
rating among all adults since September, climbing from 27% favorable in
September to 45% now, an 18-point gain. Trump (+8) and Rubio (+14)
posted smaller increases.
are signs in the poll that Cruz’s debate performance may have helped
improve his appeal. Though he remains well behind Trump, Cruz gained
ground on the front-runner on handling illegal immigration and ISIS,
both a central focus of the debate’s questions, while Rubio and Carson
faded on both issues. Cruz’s favorability rating has jumped 22 points
among Republican voters since September, and he now holds the highest
favorability rating among Republican voters of any of the seven
candidates tested. He’s also posted the largest increase in favorability
rating among all adults since September, climbing from 27% favorable in
September to 45% now, an 18-point gain. Trump (+8) and Rubio (+14)
posted smaller increases.
Source CNN 23/12/2015