Though Marco Rubio and John Kasich were badly beaten by Donald Trump in the race for the Republican nomination, the conservative Wall Street Journal editorial board thinks that either candidate would be crushing Hillary Clinton in national polls right now.
The Journal said in an editorial Tuesday night that Clinton, the likely Democratic nominee, is effectively tied in national polls with Trump, but only because she is a weak candidate.
“Mr. Trump and his partisans are highlighting the polls that show he’s caught up to Hillary Clinton in November matchups,” the paper said. “But he’s running against one of the worst Democratic candidates in the last 50 years in a year when voters are eager for change. A John Kasich or Marco Rubio would be 10 points ahead.”
In March, Trump defeated Rubio in his home state of Florida by nearly 20 points. Rubio withdrew from the race that day.
Kasich only won one state during the entire primary, his home state of Ohio. He left the race in early May.
Still, the Journal argued that Trump has proven himself “remarkably sensitive to media criticism” and seemingly unwilling to try appealing to women and minority voters.
“Mr. Trump needs to convince millions of skeptical voters,” the Journal said, “that he’s more than an impulsive bully who poses too big a risk in the Oval Office.”
