OPINION:
Donald Trump, who has alarmed Republicans with his anti-Mexican rhetoric of late, has vaulted to the top of the GOP polls.
In a new Economist/YouGov poll, the thrice-bankrupt tycoon topped the list as “first choice,” with 15 percent. He also won “second choice” with 12 percent, giving him 27 percent.
That is 9 points better than Jeb Bush and Rand Paul, who each got 11 percent for first choice and 7 percent for second choice.
Scott Walker, Marco Rubio and Mike Huckabee shared third with 9 percent each (except for second choice it went 8, 7, 6 respectively).
“But who are these Republicans?” the website writes. “Trump’s statements on immigration may be striking a chord. Two-thirds of those who choose Trump first or second support the goals of the Tea Party, higher than the overall percentage of Republicans who do. They are much less likely to have a college education than are other Republicans, and they are more likely than other Republicans to say they are ’very’ conservative.”
But when asked who they thought would be be the nominee, those surveyed picked Bush by a whopping margin: He got 29 percent, the next closest was Paul at 12 percent.
“Trump supporters may be making more of a statement than voting for someone they consider a contender. Just one in five of Trump’s supporters think Trump will win the nomination. Only 7% of Republicans think Trump will capture the nomination: more give the edge to Bush, Paul, Rubio and Walker.”
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