Trump has come in for a lot of criticism, mainly for his stand on immigration, but stories about his rapid rise in the polls dominated coverage during much of the summer. The poll shows Donald Trump still in front with 26 percent support.
Advertisement
Carson is second at 17 percent, and Fiorina, sparked by strong debate performances, is third at 12 percent.
The vice president would beat Donald Trump by 11 percentage points, 51 to 40, the poll found. Biden also tops Carly Fiorina 46 to 43, bests Jeb Bush 46 to 41, and ties Carson at 45 percent. Carson, with 8, is in fourth. Bush was fourth at 10 percent.
The rest of the field is bunched together as the “Breakthrough Seekers”. “I would call Rand Paul shrill”. “Rubio were a lock to win the Florida primary”, said Rick Mullaney, director of the JU Public Policy Institute. That view is shared by most of his fellow Republican challengers, including Bush, and is to be applauded.
The favorability ratings for the GOP field also spell a very dismal outlook for Bush. In recent weeks, a Christie Super PAC has spent over $1 million in ads for the Granite State. Right now their rivalry for Iowa and New Hampshire could not be any bigger. The increase in his personal favorables, however, hasn’t translated into an increase in support. That’s nearly identical to his 24 percent in a poll the university conducted in July.
The singular loser in the NH ad wars is Sen. He failed to stand out in the debates, saw his numbers shrink to less than 1 percent and on Monday, to the surprise of few, “suspended” his campaign. His favorable rating is essentially unchanged since June, registering a pitiful 18 percent in the latest poll.
Advertisement
Yet in all that time, with all those words spoken, the issue that remains the most important concern of voters across America – jobs and the economy – received scant attention. The boos continued as Trump talked through them, saying, “I’ve been so nice to him“. While some issues were mentioned, it seemed that many tuned in just to see the candidates bring each other down. The top three candidates are all political outsiders, an indication that Republican voters are leaning toward those who do not have experience in the political establishment. If he has any opportunity whatsoever, his opportunity is in New Hampshire. The last six polls taken before the September 16th debate had him at 28, 29, 30, 32, 33, and 27 points. Mitt Romney received about 6 percent in 2012 against President Barack Obama, the country’s first black president.
