While Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton prepare to reveal their running mates within the next month, a new poll finds that most of the individuals being floated as vice presidential picks could turn away voters if they’re chosen.
Monmouth University tested 12 political figures who’ve recently been the subject of vice presidential speculation and determined that only three of them would have a net-positive impact on the Republican or Democratic ticket by attracting more voters.
Thirty-nine percent of respondents said they would be “more likely” to support presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton if she tapped Bernie Sanders to be her running mate, versus 20 percent who would be less likely. Twenty-four percent of voters would be more likely to support Clinton if she ran with Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, versus 21 percent who would be less likely.
On the Republican side, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, who recently reversed his previous decision not to seek reelection to the Senate, would make 27 percent of voters more likely to support Trump and 20 percent less likely.
The other GOP vice presidential possibilities tested in the survey would all have a slightly negative impact on support for Trump among voters. Thirteen percent would be less likely to support Trump if he ran with Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions versus 10 percent who would be more likely, and 14 percent would be less likely to support him running with Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst versus 8 percent who would be more likely.
If Trump chose former House Speaker Newt Gingrich or New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie as his running mate, 29 and 36 percent of voters, respectively, would be less likely to support the GOP ticket.
For Democrats, New Jersey Sen. Corey Booker would have a fairly neutral impact on the ticket, while 17 percent of voters would be less likely to support Clinton if she tapped Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro versus 10 percent who would be more likely. Minnesota Sen. Al Franken would make 21 percent of voters less likely to back the former secretary of state.
According to Monmouth University polling director Patrick Murray, vice presidential picks “usually do not have a significant impact on the national electorate.”
“At best, they can help with a specific constituency or in a key state. At worst, they can demonstrate poor decision-making on the part of a person who aspires to be leader of the free world,” he said.
The survey of 803 registered voters was conducted June 15-19. Results contain a margin of error plus or minus 3.5 percent.
