Seven in 10 Republican voters think current GOP front-runner Donald Trump is their best shot at winning the White House in 2016, according to a new poll released Sunday.
In the latest Associated Press/GfK survey of both Republicans and Republican-leaning voters, the billionaire businessman with zero governing experience leads the rest of his conservative rivals with the greatest number of voters indicating he could win the general election next November if he emerges as the GOP nominee. Trump also leads the Washington Examiner‘s presidential power rankings.
Slightly fewer voters said the same of retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, who were both seen as electable by six in 10 respondents. The only other candidate to earn a majority of support in terms of his electability was Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, who 54 percent of voters said could win in 2016.
A handful of other candidates, including New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Ohio Gov. John Kasich, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and Sens. Ted Cruz and Rand Paul, were viewed as electable by far less than half of the individuals surveyed.
Meanwhile, nearly seven in 10 Republican voters said the presumptive Democratic nominee, Hillary Clinton, could make it to the White House if she indeed wins the Democratic nod.
Even better news for Trump and Carson, the two candidates topping the Republican field, is the majority of voters (54 percent) who prefer a Washington outsider “who will change how things get done” as opposed to a political insider “who will get things done” (44 percent). Moreover, 55 percent of voters would prefer a president with “private-sector leadership, but no experience holding elected office” while 41 percent opt to support a candidate with experience in government, but none in the private sector.
The Associated Press/GfK poll was conducted from Oct. 15-19 by GfK Public Affairs and includes a sample size of 1,027 voters. Results contain a margin of error plus or minus 3.3 percent.
