As the 2016 presidential race on the Democratic and Republican sides now begins in earnest, a new poll shows North Carolina GOP voters might not quite be ready to move on from 2012 GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney, who narrowly carried the state two years ago.
Mr. Romney led the field among Republican voters with 18.6 percent when they were asked the question, “Who would you most like to see run for president in 2016?”
Ben Carson, a retired neurosurgeon who will be the subject of a documentary set to air this weekend that could stir more 2016 speculation, was second with 5.8 percent of the vote.
Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky was third with 4.5 percent of the vote. Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton was actually fourth among Republicans with 4 percent of the vote. Mrs. Clinton was an overwhelming first among Democrats, at 52 percent, and first among independents as well with 21 percent.
Other GOP hopefuls receiving votes were New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, with 3.1 percent, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush with 2.7 percent and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee with 2.4 percent.
Two Lone Star State conservatives, outgoing Gov. Rick Perry and Sen. Ted Cruz, were tied for eighth at 2 percent.
“Not Hillary Clinton” was ninth at 1.9 percent.
Perhaps illustrating the limitations of these kinds of surveys this early in the cycle, President Obama was second among Democratic voters — albeit a distant second, at 2.3 percent. Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts was third with 2.2 percent, and “A Female Candidate” was fourth at 1.2 percent.
Thirty-seven percent of registered voters also “didn’t feel comfortable” answering the question.
The survey of 996 registered voters was taken from Oct. 21-25 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.11 percent.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.