Most important presidential traits/positions: cutting taxes, improving status in world, more education spending and strong stance against illegal immigration”
The latest national poll by Jackson State University’s Institute of Government Polling Center shows the contest between businessman Donald Trump and Dr. Ben Carson among likely Republican voters is still close. Trump led the group with 29.7% followed by Carson who polled at 22.0% in a “first choice” selection.
These two leading candidates were followed by Texas Senator Ted Cruz (9.1%), former Florida Governor Jeb Bush (8.6%), Florida Senator Marco Rubio (5.3%), Kentucky Senator Rand Paul (3.8%), former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee (3.3%) and former HP CEO Carly Fiorina (2.9%). The poll was conducted prior to the third Republican debate on Wednesday, October 28, 2015 and before the fourth Republican debate on Tuesday, November 10, 2015.
Presidential traits, characteristics, or positions most important to likely voters in the upcoming 2016 contest included support for cutting taxes (45.4%), improving U.S. worldwide status (44.9%), wanting more education spending (40.7%), a strong stance against illegal immigration (40.3%), plans to repeal Obama Care or the ACA (34.0%), standing up to the Russian leaders (33.1%), and has a business background (31.8%).
Other important traits named with less frequency included: is pro-choice, is mostly conservative, favors gun controls, plans to spend on reducing global climate change, favors trained faculty to carry arms on college campuses, will defund Planned Parenthood and will build the Keystone XL pipeline.
A “second choice” spread the percentages more evenly across all Republican candidates resulting in a new declining order: Trump, Cruz, Carson, Rubio, Bush – 16.3%, 12.0%, 11.5%, respectively, and Rubio/Bush tied at 9.6%. Paul, Huckabee, and Christie were all tied at 5.7%.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton leads the Democrats by a wide margin. Fielding of the current poll was conducted October 12-20, 2015 and ended the day prior to Vice President Joe Biden deciding against a run for the White House. Among likely Democratic voters, Clinton leads with 52.9% in a “first choice” poll ballot. This is followed by Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders at 18.8% and Vice President Joe Biden at 13.8%. Former Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee and former Virginia Senator Jim Webb polled at zero percent. Each has subsequently withdrawn from the contest.
A “second choice” among likely Democratic voters shows Biden leading with 32.9% followed by Clinton with 22.9% and Sanders with 12.5%.
Presidential traits, characteristics, or positions most important to likely voters in the upcoming 2016 contest included support for cutting taxes (45.4%), improving U.S. worldwide status (44.9%), wanting more education spending (40.7%), a strong stance against illegal immigration (40.3%), plans to repeal Obama Care or the ACA (34.0%), standing up to the Russian leaders (33.1%), and has a business background (31.8%).
Other important traits named with less frequency included: is pro-choice, is mostly conservative, favors gun controls, plans to spend on reducing global climate change, favors trained faculty to carry arms on college campuses, will defund Planned Parenthood and will build the Keystone XL pipeline.
ABOUT THE POLL: The Poll was conducted by The Polling Center at Jackson State University’s Institute of Government. Polling by the Center is conducted on a regular basis and may also include spontaneous polling on occurring events.
METHODOLOGY: The Poll sampled opinions of 1000 approximately proportional to state population contribution nationwide. The survey was conducted October 13-20, 2015. All surveys were conducted using an online survey instrument.
