The percentage of Republicans who have a favorable view of Donald Trump reached its highest level since the candidate’s campaign took off last summer.
Sixty-six percent of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents view the New York businessman in a positive light, according to a May 11-17 Gallup poll released Thursday. Trump started out with 53 percent favorability ratings in August. His approval numbers have fluctuated throughout his campaign and had dipped to 53 percent in April before jumping to a record high one month later.
The results indicate Republicans are rallying around the presumptive GOP presidential nominee following the departures of Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Ohio Gov. John Kasich from the race.
Despite Trump’s high approval numbers two months out from the July convention, he is significantly behind previous GOP nominees’ ratings.
Former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney didn’t become the presumptive GOP nominee until late April 2012, but was seen favorably by 82 percent of Republicans in a Gallup poll.
Arizona Sen. John McCain became the party’s likely choice in February 2008, and by May of that year he was viewed positively by 84 percent of Republicans. Similarly, former President George W. Bush received 87 percent positive ratings in his 2000 election.
