The polls that have come out this week show a clear pattern: Donald Trump is on the rise among Republicans. And that might just be the party’s worst nightmare.
This is especially unfortunate given the Republican Party’s need to reach out to Latino voters. The Univision poll found that only 17 percent of Latinos have a favorable view of Trump, compared to a whopping 71 percent who view him unfavorably. In addition, 32 percent said they thought Trump’s comments represent the GOP as a whole. That’s a number Republicans can’t really afford to see grow any further.
Back to the primary race itself, the new Fox News poll has Trump at 18 percent among Republicans, followed by Scott Walker at 15 percent, Jeb Bush 14, Rand Paul 8, and Marco Rubio 7.
On the Democratic side, Hillary Clinton has 59 percent, Bernie Sanders 19 percent, Joe Biden 8 percent, and 1 percent each for Martin O’Malley, Lincoln Chafee, and Jim Webb. (Note: Vice President Biden is not currently in the presidential race, but was included in the poll.)
Fox also asked respondents about Trump’s infamous comment that Mexico is “sending people that have lots of problems…They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.”
The pollster asked: “Setting aside how Trump worded his comments, do you think he’s basically right on this, or not?” Among registered voters, 44 percent said Trump was right, against 53 percent who say he is wrong — and for Republicans, 70 percent agreed with The Donald, to 27 percent who did not.
It’s worth noting that Fox asked all respondents: “What do you think should happen to the illegal immigrants who are currently working in the United States — do you favor deporting as many as possible or do you favor setting up a system for them to become legal residents?”
Among the general population, only 30 percent are for deporting as many as possible, against 64 percent who favor a system that allows them to become legal residents — but among Republicans it’s a dead heat at 46 percent for mass deportation versus 48 percent for legalization.
Another poll from Suffolk University and USA Today had Trump in first place for Republicans with 17 percent, followed by Bush at 14 percent, Walker 8 percent, Ted Cruz 6 percent, and Rubio 5 percent.
On the Democratic side, Suffolk/USA Today also had Clinton way ahead at 59 percent, Sanders with 14 percent, Biden 8 percent, Webb 2 percent, and less than 1 percent each for O’Malley and Chafee.
Monmouth University has Bush still in first place with 15 percent, followed close behind by The Donald at 13 percent, then Cruz at 9 percent, and 7 percent each for Walker and Mike Huckabee.
For the Democrats, Monmouth shows Clinton at 51 percent, Sanders 17 percent, Biden 13 percent, 1 percent each for Webb and O’Malley, and less than 1 percent for Chafee.
Trump’s personal favorability rating among Republicans also surged in the Washington Post/ABC News poll, with 57 percent favorable to to 40 percent unfavorable. This is way up from the previous poll in May, before The Donald got into the race, when 65 percent of Republicans viewed him unfavorably.
But among the general public, this same poll finds Trump’s favorable rating is a ghastly 33 percent, against an unfavorable rating of 61 percent.
Screenshot: Donald Trump via YouTube.
