Donald Trump will have to keep an eye on PA for the next couple months as the GOP presidential primary process gets underway.
After enjoying jaw-dropping success since June when he announced his candidacy, Trump is beginning to see some of his rivals making up ground, according to the latest Public Policy Polling report.
Trump leads the GOP field with 24%, with another Washington outsider, Ben Carson, riding Trump’s coattails to 23% in the poll. The next closest contenders are TX Sen. Ted Cruz and former Hewlett-Packard boss Carly Fiorina at 9% each.
Though Trump heads the field, his 1% lead over Carson in PA is the smallest he has had anywhere since July, according to the poll. In fact, Carson beats Trump 52-38 in a hypothetical head-to-head primary in the Keystone State. Carson has the highest favorability rating of any candidate, crushing Trump’s numbers with men and women, as well as the more conservative wing of the GOP.
Though only 6% of voters support Rubio as their first choice, the FL senator would also beat Trump in a head-to-head in PA, 45-44.
Well-known politicians Chris Christie and Jeb Bush picked up 7% apiece, followed by Rubio. All other GOP candidates gained less than 3% in the poll – including former PA Sen. Rick Santorum at 2%. Three candidates – Bobby Jindal, Lindsay Graham and George Pataki – are having trouble breaking the 1% mark.
Santorum is struggling to find the same traction he had in 2012, when he finished second in the GOP primaries to nominee Mitt Romney. In a May PPP poll, 12% of PA voters supported his second campaign for president, but 64% of GOP voters now think Santorum should drop out of the race. Interestingly, 18% of PA voters are still unsure of the two-term U.S. senator.
Guns and Minimum Wage
PA GOP voters differ from their many candidates on several issues. 78% support background checks on all gun purchases, with only 12% opposed.
“The Second Amendment to our Constitution is clear,” Trump wrote in an announcement of his gun policies. “The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed upon. Period.”
“As a Doctor, I spent many a night pulling bullets out of bodies,” Carson wrote on Facebook after the Umpqua Community College shooting in Oregon. “There is no doubt that this senseless violence is breathtaking – but I never saw a body with bullet holes that was more devastating than taking the right to arm ourselves away.”
53% of Republican voters in the state also want to see the minimum wage increased to at least $10/hour, another unpopular idea among most candidates, with Trump telling MSNBC “having a low minimum wage is not a bad thing for this country.”
Public Policy Polling surveyed 479 Republican primary voters from October 8th to 11th. The margin of error is +/-4.5%.
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19 Responses
I would not vote for Carson even if Donald Trump was not running. He brings up nothing that would make me change my mind about Trump. We need a strong leader not a Mickey Mouse.
I see that I should have clicked on your link before posting the previous comment. I did find the information in the PDF you posted.
This country indeed need Donald Trump. He makes sense. I can just trust him instinctly. The else are try to do something for a particular group purposely. Trump, go ahead, we support you always
“In fact, Carson beats Trump 52-38 in a hypothetical head-to-head primary in the Keystone State”
On Carson’s Facebook page he has posted a custom made meme created by his campaign stating those exact figures. The meme indicates that these figures came from Public Policy Polling. I have searched the Internet and Public Policy Polling’s website and cannot find anything to verify that those numbers are true. I asked three times on Carson’s Facebook page if someone can post a link to those numbers and no link was posted. Can you post a link to where you obtained those numbers. I would hate to think that Carson’s campaign is not doing its due diligence before posting official campaign backed information on Dr. Carson’s Facebook page.
I don’t see why in my right mind i will vote for Donald Trump. He’s not sincere, his only thinking about enlarging his purse and thinking like a billoniare. I’d vote for Ben Carson anytime anywhere in the world. Unlike some people who thinks for his pockets and has no genuine love for anybody but himself
Nice work, Ben Carson! You’re doing great.
Rick Santorum is at 2% in Pennsylvania and 64% of [Pennsylvania] GOP voters now think Santorum should drop out of the race
From the PPP Poll
Q9 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Rick Santorum?
Favorable 46% ………………………………………………..
Unfavorable 36% …………………………………………….
Not sure 18%
Q11 Given the choices of Jeb Bush, Ben Carson,
Chris Christie, Ted Cruz, Carly Fiorina, Jim
Gilmore, Lindsey Graham, Mike Huckabee,
Bobby Jindal, John Kasich, George Pataki,
Rand Paul, Marco Rubio, Rick Santorum, and
Donald Trump who would you most like to see
as the GOP candidate for President in 2016?
Jeb Bush 7% …………………………………………………
Ben Carson 23% ……………………………………………..
Chris Christie 7% …………………………………………..
Ted Cruz 9% …………………………………………………
Carly Fiorina 9% ……………………………………………
Jim Gilmore 1% ……………………………………………..
Lindsey Graham 0% ………………………………………
Mike Huckabee 3% ………………………………………..
Bobby Jindal 0% ……………………………………………
John Kasich 3% …………………………………………….
George Pataki 0% ………………………………………….
Rand Paul 1% ……………………………………………….
Marco Rubio 6% ……………………………………………
Rick Santorum 2% …………………………………………
Donald Trump 24% ………………………………………….
Undecided 4% ………………………………………..
Q17 Do you think that Rick Santorum should
continue running for President, or do you think
he should drop out of the race?
23% Rick Santorum should continue running for
President…………………………………………………
Rick Santorum should drop out of the race 64% …..
Not sure 13%
@gulagPittsburg great moniker by the way. I already know by your condescending comment that you are a legend in your mind already, however if you are going to impress some one besides your family because I know they’re thrilled with you, but chances are they are the only ones, you should try wooing em with some substance something you seem to be lacking.
Bottom line is that these guys are all so far right that even PA Republicans hold more moderate views.
Dr Ben Carson was a Democrates until 2 years ago.
Think about that.
This is Obama in the making
DO YOU ACTUALLY THRUST THAT D. TRUMP ISN’T GREEDY? HE WOULD SELL HIS MOTHER FOR RIGHT PRIZE!
He would be as or more corrupted than any politician you may know, without even denying it.
He would violate any moral principal without hesitation… Abuse power (he already does!), etc… A man of volatile personality has no convictions! His only conviction is being greedy and money (for his own benefit only)
The latest polling policy. I can use Adobe pdf or Microsoft word to look real, but also note the poll was based on liberal voters, not republican. Complete garbage.
The best example of a drive by journalist putting out false facts to convince light readers to believe it’s fact. The real reason is they believe they can hurt trump with false facts. Or put any leading gop name in place of trump.
Though Trump heads the field, his 1% lead over Carson in PA is the smallest he has had anywhere since July, according to the poll. In fact, Carson beats Trump 52-38 in a hypothetical head-to-head primary in the Keystone State. Carson has the highest favorability rating of any candidate, crushing Trump’s numbers with men and women, as well as the more conservative wing of the GOP.
That is why people without a degree should not be allowed to write.
The Ben Carson poll is an outright lie. He’s at 6%. Ithis is just a drive by so called journalist without a degree. Get a real job at a real company.
Fact: trumps numbers have solidified, he’s getting more depth and he slowly has higher percentages. Fact: in a general election in s. Carolina and Nevada 67% of the people believe he would be good for the economy andben Carson gets between 3-6% and he’s the closest runner.
Thoughts are more important than words to say I want our government to change to something patriotic!
A psychiatrist speaking!
Dave Francis: 1. Learn to spell and use correct words and grammar. 2. Get back on your meds. Generics are only $4 at Walmart.
Carnival Barker
Looks like the “people” are far ahead of their candidates– in both political parties. I am amazed that rank and file Republicans have these viewpoints, but not their candidates. Corporate-run media, big-money funders, and obedient candidates cling to the status quo and the past and deny things are changing. As Chomsky has written, don’t give them too much democracy! Yes, the peasants just may take it. Maybe democracy has a chance, after all.
Donald Trump is spreading the news of our troubling economic issues or otherwise spread by the local police authority of the easement on immigration laws, by the prior and this current president. Obama has restrained from improving the dangerous border region for both the Border Patrol agents and property owners who have been victims for decades from heinous drug cartels and criminal illegal aliens who have arrived in America in large numbers. According to a National Sheriffs’ Association’s press release confirming the organization’s standpoint expressed in its 2013 position paper on immigration policy. In the report, the Association backed efficient and competent securing of the border, enforcement of the immigration laws currently as allocated in the federal register of laws, necessitated information shared between local law enforcement and federal immigration officials.
“The National Sheriffs’ Association adjoined of withholding federal compensation money from jurisdictions who refuse to cooperate with immigration officials, and strengthening employer verification requirements. Further, the (National Sheriff’s Association, Jun. 25, 2013) The document concluded, They strongly opposes outright amnesty for those individuals currently here illegally. Amnesty does not work. When granted in 1986, it did little to stop the flow of illegal persons from coming across the borders and, in fact, contributed to thousands of bogus applications for amnesty.”
Liberal Governor Jerry Brown of California already knows that Illegal Aliens cost CA $600 Million in healthcare dollars alone. Citizens Medicare 1011 is raided to help pay for ER visits. He just signed a bill having all Illegal Alien children under 19 to get free healthcare through MediCal: initial cost, $40 Million with increases to $132 Million projected while cutting MediCal budget for US Citizens. Not to mention the costs to our public education: 30% of school children cannot read or write the English language AB 130 and AB 131 has given Illegal Alien Students access to free State money for higher education, whereas also getting in-state tuition and fee waivers.
The cost for illegal immigrants on US taxpayers is anybodies guess, but it approximated at anything between $$100 billion to $$200 billion dollars per year. The majority of illegal immigrants pay no taxes and work for cash on such workplaces as construction sites or under the table– a great incentive for Illegal immigrants and business owners who covert huge profits. These non tax payers drive down wages and benefits for impoverished Americans, specifically Black and Latino citizens or legal residents as they also compete with them for social services and their paid in entitlements. This is absolute madness when our country has 90 million or more people, unemployed/ underemployed or collecting a check from welfare to survive.
We are a passionate country, but today its gone to far? We are a country of laws. We have somewhere between 12 and 30 million people who broke the law and a Federal Government is unwilling to enforce the law. Trump is the only candidate willing to deport all illegal aliens squatting here. Yes! that right squatting here, as they have no legal standing. Its time we enforce the law. Lets us begin 2016 with Donald Trumps promise to deport all illegal immigrants in the United States. It can be done without armed agents by taking down dishonest employers? Make them adhere to MANDATORY E-VERIFY and no more optional decisions made by Special Interests, led by the US Chamber of Commerce.
Do illegal aliens pay any taxes, some do, but it is returned because they are Low wage earners and actually get a tax refund and even extra money back from the government in the form or Earned Income Credits, for themselves and their children. Democrats expediently ignore the Illegal Immigrant ITIN tax fraud and child tax credits. The cost to US taxpayers about $$4.7 billion for child tax reimbursement annually, with no end sight. That old charlatan Harry Reid in 1993 said: “No Sane Country Would Permit Birthright Citizenship”.
(CAPS) Californians for Population Stabilization will deliver your signed petition to the Presidential candidates. We also need your help the American taxpayers help to convince Congress it’s time to act. Jo Wideman of CAPS Executive Director is currently illustrating the cost and negativity. The Birthright Citizenship Act of 2015, HR 140/S 45, would restore the 14th Amendment to its original intent and clarify that citizenship at birth is granted only if:
• one of the parents is a U.S. citizen,
• lawfully-admitted permanent resident alien,
• or alien on active service in the military.
Let Congress know that it’s time for America to join the 21st century by passing The Birthright Citizenship Act of 2015.
Senator Reid quickly altered his mind, when it fits his Liberalized agenda. If you really want to know the insurmountable truth go and read the costs to California taxpayers in just one county. At the Los Angeles website for the Dept of Human Services drawn up by Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich, showing a total cost of illegal immigration to Los Angeles County taxpayers alone exceeded $1 billion in 2008. Approximately $200 million is spent on public safety, $400 million for healthcare and $450 million to welfare and food stamps. This doesn’t include schooling. Birthright citizenship is out of control, adding that to the public education and so many more programs for foreign nationals. The population of illegal aliens and legal immigrants has exploded in California, so who knows how the costs have spiraled?
I see no other alternative but to rid the infestation of illegal alien welfare recipients, to stop the ever mounting deficit to our floundering nation–caused by tax and spend narratives of the Democrats.
I am often troubled that when the economic arguments for illegal immigrants are proven wrong, supporters of illegal immigration say you are a xenophobic or racist. The reality is that illegal aliens are from all over the world and probably represent every race and gender. Politicians are SO afraid of being called a racist or worse that they agree with these followers of illegal immigration even though it goes against their own views and law. But the reality it is that its hurting US workers and the criminal element who are creeping in through the border are on a killing spree. The fact is the statistics are kept under glass and unless their was the shooting in Sanctuary City San Francisco, the whole ugly story of a five time deported illegal alien who murdered Kate Steinle would go unnoticed?
If you want REAL change and get those issues going in the right direction, you have to make a decision to vote for the real alternative to Democrats and the GOP establishment. Donald Trump is the full measure of what a President should be as far as my family is concerned, friends and neighbors and the camaraderie with a few military types. His greatest ally in the war of against both political parties is that he is his own money man. He is not restrained from the blood money that enters the halls of power while Congress is in Session. The rich donors to campaigns and politicians bank accounts, are Persona Non Gratis to Trump who will make America great again.