Three weeks away from the Florida primary, GOP presidential front-runner Donald Trump is outstripping U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio among Republican voters in Rubio’s home state, according to a new poll released Thursday.
The New York real-estate mogul holds a commanding 44-28 percent lead over Rubio among likely GOP primary voters, the Quinnipiac University poll found. U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas came in third with 12 percent, followed by Ohio Gov. John Kasich with 7 percent and physician Ben Carson with 4 percent.
With 99 delegates in the March 15 winner-take-all primary, Florida is “the single biggest prize of the primary season,” according to Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the poll.
“If Sen. Rubio can’t win in his own home state, it is difficult to see how he can win elsewhere,” Brown said in a prepared statement accompanying the survey results Thursday morning.
The poll was conducted from Sunday to Wednesday, after former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush dropped out of the race Saturday night. Supporters of Bush —considered an “establishment” candidate — are under pressure to endorse Rubio and shun Trump, an outspoken populist who has never been elected to office and is running as an outsider.
Trump outshines his GOP opponents on almost every measure, according to the poll — Republican primary voters of all ages favor Trump, along with voters who identify with the tea party. Men back Trump over Rubio 49-25 percent, while women favor Trump by 39-31 percent, the poll found.
Two-thirds of likely GOP primary voters who most want a candidate with strong leadership prefer the brash real-estate mogul, compared to 16 percent for Rubio.
Trump, who has taken positions such as banning Muslims from entering the country and building a wall on the Mexican border, does twice as well among white evangelicals as Cruz, who has been courting that constituency.
Rubio, however, leads Trump 39-29 percent among Republicans who most want someone who shares their values. Voters who want a candidate who is honest and trustworthy are split 30-30 percent between the pair.
Among GOP voters who care most about the economy and jobs, Trump overrides Rubio by 23 percentage points. Trump outshines Rubio by 10 percentage points among voters who cite terrorism as the most important issue and by 54 percentage points among those who say immigration is most important.
And the poll found Trump’s negative ratings in Florida are low, with just 21 percent of likely Republican voters saying they would “definitely not support” the part-time Palm Beach County resident for the nomination, with 26 percent saying no to Cruz and 17 percent rejecting Rubio.
The Connecticut-based Quinnipiac frequently conducts polls in Florida and other states. The survey of 705 likely Florida Republican primary voters had a margin of error of 3.7 percentage points. The pollsters will release a survey of likely Florida Democratic primary voters on Friday.
katie semore says
Don’t be stupid Florida, like usual. Vote Trump down and send him packing. Don’t be taken in my his nonsense.
VOTE TRUMP in 2016 says
It sickens me to hear that Trump would consider Scott as a running mate. I hope this is just rumor!!!
Rubio needs to go back to Mommy and Daddy, he is such a whiner in the media. He has never had a job, doesn’t know what it is like to make a living. He doesn’t vote and do his job as a Senator, so why should we think he will serve as a Commander and Chief? He wants to play the fence so we don’t know where he is on issues. Rubio goes to pieces if he has to vere off the memorized 20 second speech and avoids answering questions. I hope Trump spanks this wanna be tonight and puts his passy back in his mouth. Rubio is another BUSH…..remember he even said Jed was his mentor. Trump will say it like it is and because he does, he is more respected and will be less likely to be pushed around.
PERCY'S MOTHER says
Rubio sold us out as soon as he was elected here in Florida . . . remember, with the Gang of 8? He favors open borders but he uses a different terminology for it. As a legal immigrant, I am against open borders. Everyone should do it the legal way otherwise we’re on the way to a lawless society.
Rubio sold us out. I would never vote for him no matter how much he bashes Cruz and Trump, and he does so to deflect the heat from his own lies and failings.
r&r says
I used to support Rubio. We the citizens are his employer and when someone only works 25% of the time when he is suppose ti be at work I’d fire him. TRUMP all the way to the white house. At least we’ll have decent first lady instead of one who hates the US.
Knightwatch says
O.k., r&r … vote Trump, with Scott as VP candidate Now that’s a Democrat’s dream team. I can only imagine, and relish, a debate between Trump and Clinton on national TV… Trump spewing personal insults (disgusting bathroom breaks, blood spewing from whatever. And that face! Who could love that face?) spiced with bombastic sabre rattling and impossible promises while Hillary discusses foreign and domestic policy from the perspective of HAVING BEEN THERE!! Hillary discusses taxes. Trump counters with how much money he’s made. Hillary discusses a unified anti-ISIS Middle East peace plan. Trump counters by pissing off our allies with his proposal to ban Muslims from America, then routinely killing ISIS families and torturing captives. Hillary discusses a comprehensive immigration strategy. Trump retorts with his plan to immediately deport 12 million thieves murders and rapists including children who are legal U.S. citizens to, presumably, Mexico, even though many, perhaps most, are actually from other countries throughout the world. Then building his “big, beautiful” 2,000-mile, $11 billion southern wall, and billing Mexico!
Yep r&r… you and all Florida Republicans should vote for Trump. It will be the most hilarious presidential election I’ve ever experienced.
Truth says
Rubio is a con man who only has one real goal. Become president so he will be able to stroke his ego and clame the top political spot. He will be all for letting everyone into the country and taking 3/4ths of the year off to vacation. Then retire to fat paychecks and having nothing real to do. Health care and the economy will fall to the wayside. Nothing good for the people will come from Rubio.
scoobydoo says
Listen in the past 8 years there has been a total of 15+ trillion added to debt, why would u vote in hillary or especially the communist bernie? What kind of rational is that, u know trump isnt gonna build a wall or deport 11 million, but cant we get a business man, fail or not, to run the USA, INC..
scoobydoo says
Even u liberals know obama screwed us over, why would u be a dog chasing its tail!!
Bc says
Can trump be anything but a better potus then the potus we have now we are the laughing stock of the world 19 Trillon in debt and counting. The black and white communities are more divided than they were in the 60ties our military has Been gutted China and russia are flexing their muscular armies in our face every day. We do not need another junior senator in the Oval Office we have been there done that and what a disaster that turned out to be. We need someone with business experience some one with common sense. Just give it some thought look what happened when we put a none experienced person in the oval office a disaster do we need that again can we survive with another novice. We need a potus that is not afraid to say and do what is needed one who does not conform to this political correct crap that some feel we must adhere to what a joke go trump make America great again.