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Poll: Donald Trump still on top as outsiders Fio-rino, Carson also rise!
WASHINGTON — Billionaire businessman Donald Trump has strengthened his lead at the top of the USA TODAY/Suffolk University Poll while two other outsider candidates, Ben Carson and Carly Fio-rino, have gained ground over rivals with electoral experience.
Jeb Bush, who was second to Trump two months ago in the USA TODAY survey, has tumbled to single digits and fifth place. The third-place finisher last time, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, suspended his campaign this month.
"Unfortunately, I'm leaning toward Trump, only because he's a non-political figure," said Ginger Mangam, 58, a customer service representative from Little Rock who was among those surveyed. Asked about his lack of electoral experience, she replied, "I don't think it's a problem; I think it's a message."
Anthony Edelen, 37, a small-business owner from Vermillion, S.D., likes what he hears from Trump and Fio-rino. "I just want somebody who is going to move our country in a direction different from where it is currently," he said in a follow-up interview.
The shifting landscape underscores an electorate that is fed up with politics-as-usual and willing to embrace contenders who promise to shake things up. Some presidential hopefuls with significant political experience — New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham among them — have failed to gain traction and score at 1% or below, a standing that may make it harder for them to raise money and command a spot on stage in televised debates.
Florida Sen. Marco Rubio has risen to fourth place, backed by 9% of those surveyed.
The poll of 380 likely Republican primary voters, taken Thursday through Monday, has a margin of error of +/- 5 percentage points. The full sample of 1,000 likely voters has an error margin of +/-3 points.
Some political analysts, including those in the latest USA TODAY GOP Power Rankings, see Trump as beginning to lose ground (ROTFLMFAO Liberal wishful thinking) while scrutiny on him as a potential president intensifies. Still, he continues to lead the field at 23%, up 6 points from the survey in July. Carson, a retired neurosurgeon, and Fio-rino, an ex-CEO, tie for second at 13%, both big jumps from the last poll. That means about half of the GOP electorate back candidates who have never served in elective office.
Poll: Donald Trump still on top as outsiders Fiorina, Carson rise
WASHINGTON — Billionaire businessman Donald Trump has strengthened his lead at the top of the USA TODAY/Suffolk University Poll while two other outsider candidates, Ben Carson and Carly Fio-rino, have gained ground over rivals with electoral experience.
Jeb Bush, who was second to Trump two months ago in the USA TODAY survey, has tumbled to single digits and fifth place. The third-place finisher last time, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, suspended his campaign this month.
"Unfortunately, I'm leaning toward Trump, only because he's a non-political figure," said Ginger Mangam, 58, a customer service representative from Little Rock who was among those surveyed. Asked about his lack of electoral experience, she replied, "I don't think it's a problem; I think it's a message."
Anthony Edelen, 37, a small-business owner from Vermillion, S.D., likes what he hears from Trump and Fio-rino. "I just want somebody who is going to move our country in a direction different from where it is currently," he said in a follow-up interview.
The shifting landscape underscores an electorate that is fed up with politics-as-usual and willing to embrace contenders who promise to shake things up. Some presidential hopefuls with significant political experience — New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham among them — have failed to gain traction and score at 1% or below, a standing that may make it harder for them to raise money and command a spot on stage in televised debates.
Florida Sen. Marco Rubio has risen to fourth place, backed by 9% of those surveyed.
The poll of 380 likely Republican primary voters, taken Thursday through Monday, has a margin of error of +/- 5 percentage points. The full sample of 1,000 likely voters has an error margin of +/-3 points.
Some political analysts, including those in the latest USA TODAY GOP Power Rankings, see Trump as beginning to lose ground (ROTFLMFAO Liberal wishful thinking) while scrutiny on him as a potential president intensifies. Still, he continues to lead the field at 23%, up 6 points from the survey in July. Carson, a retired neurosurgeon, and Fio-rino, an ex-CEO, tie for second at 13%, both big jumps from the last poll. That means about half of the GOP electorate back candidates who have never served in elective office.
Poll: Donald Trump still on top as outsiders Fiorina, Carson rise
