Donald Trump, here at a campaign rally in New York, is leading in the Republican race but struggling with low favorability ratings and poor performances in general election match-up polls. (Getty)
2016 Republican frontrunner for President Donald Trump is leading the Republican delegate race by a significant margin, but his appeal to voters outside is current supporters is still an uphill climb. 70 percent of Americans hold an unfavorable view of Trump, a “lead” of more than 10 points over his nearest rivals among the major-party top four. Trump also loses by double digits against both Democratic contenders in general election matchups. With Trump’s chances of locking up the Republican nomination without establishment interference looking more and more remote, these numbers look to only increase in importance.
Favorability Polls: Record High Hate For Trump
A new poll by the Associated Press shows Trump viewed negatively by 70 percent of Americans, well “ahead” of main Republican rival Ted Cruz and Democrats Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders. These numbers persist across all demographics, even among his largest support bases in the South (70 percent) and among non-college-educated whites (55 percent). It surpasses his own previous record of 60 percent set in January.
Among other contenders, Ted Cruz “leads” at 59 percent, with Hillary Clinton viewed unfavorably by 55 percent. In a separate Gallup Poll only focusing on Trump, 64 percent of voters held an unfavorable view of Trump, including 70 percent of polled women.
General Election Matchups: Trump Loses to Democrats
The most recent general election matchup polls suggest a Trump nomination would be a disaster for the Republican Party. According to RealClearPolitics, Clinton holds an average lead of 10.8 points over Trump in polls taken over the previous month. It’s important to note, however, that only one coincides with the release of the Panama Papers, a trove of information on offshore tax evasion that might implicate Clinton. Trump also loses to Sanders by an even more daunting 16 points.
While this will undoubtedly come up against Trump as the nominating process unfolds, Trump will surely (and correctly) point out that while Cruz is closer, he’s still losing in the same polls. Cruz is down 3.1 points to Clinton and 9.8 points to Sanders. John Kasich, despite having fewer delegates than some candidates who’ve already dropped out, actually beats Clinton by more than 6 and keeps it within 2 against Sanders.
