Among the leading contenders for Donald Trump’s vice presidential selection, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich appears most successful at making Republicans more likely to vote for Trump, according to a new poll.
The new Morning Consult survey tested Republican voters’ attitudes toward five potential Trump running mates, including Gingrich, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions, and Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin.
Of the five, Gingrich is the only one who amassed a higher percentage of voters saying his presence on the ticket would make them more likely to support Trump than less likely to support the presumptive GOP nominee. Approximately 21 percent of those surveyed said Gingrich’s presence on the ticket would make them more likely to support Trump, while 17 percent of those surveyed said they would be less likely to get behind Trump.
If Christie or Fallin appeared on the ticket, a greater percentage of Republicans would be less likely to support Trump than those who would be moved to be more likely to support the presumptive GOP nominee.
Republicans were evenly split about whether a Pence or Sessions pick would make them more or less likely to support Trump.
On the six candidates tested by Morning Consult on the Democratic side of the aisle, only Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s selection would make a higher percentage of Democrats more likely to support Clinton than less likely to back Clinton.
Approximately 21 percent of Democrats surveyed said picking Warren would make them more likely to back Clinton, while 19 percent of Democrats would be less willing to support Clinton.
Other Democratic candidates tested included New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, Labor Secretary Tom Perez, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro, and Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine. Democrats were evenly split about whether Castro would make them more or less likely to back Clinton, the only Democratic VP contender besides Warren to not make people less likely to support Clinton than more likely to support the presumptive Democratic nominee.
The survey also found that Clinton maintained a one-percentage-point lead on Donald Trump, 42-41, in its tracking survey conducted on July 8-10.
When Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson is included, approximately 12 percent of those surveyed support him, and Clinton’s lead grows to two percentage points, 39-37. Johnson’s support grew one percentage point since Morning Consult’s previous survey conducted June 30-July 4.
The new Morning Consult survey polled 2,001 voters from July 8-10 and has a margin of error of two percentage points.
