Pollster: Trump a 'Weak Frontrunner' in a Crowded Field

Dick Bennett of American Research Group said earlier today that his org’s latest polling data shows that while there is a weak frontrunner, it really is anyone’s race.

Donald Trumps leads the New Hampshire Republican Presidential preference primary with 21 percent, but 57 percent of likely Republican primary voters in New Hampshire say they would never vote for him in the primary.

In the ballot, Trump is followed by Marco Rubio at 15 percent, John Kasich at 13 percent, Chris Christie at 12 percent, Ted Cruz at 10 percent, Jeb Bush at 7 percent, Ben Carson at 6 percent, Carly Fiorina at 5 percent, and Rand Paul at 4 percent.

Details of the live-interview survey conducted Dec. 20-22 among 600 likely NH Republican primary voters can be found here.

Among registered Republicans (55 percent of likely Republican primary voters), Rubio leads with 16 percent, followed by Kasich and Trump at 15 percent each, Christie at 14 percent, and Bush and Cruz at 10 percent each.

While Trump leads with 27 percent among men (Christie is at 13 percent, Cruz at 12 percent, Kasich at 11, Rubio at 10 percent, and Bush at 5 percentamong men), Rubio leads with 20 percent among women (Kasich is at 16 percent, Trump at 15 percent, and Bush and Christie at 10 percent each among women).

Also, the race is much closer among those likely Republican primary voters saying the will definitely vote in the primary. Trump leads with 19 percent, followed by Kasich and Rubio at 15 percent each, Christie at 13 percent, Cruz at 10 percent, and Bush at 8 percent.

When asked it they would consider voting for each of the candidates, 83 percent say they would consider voting for Rubio, 81 percent say they would consider voting for Kasich, 80 percent say they would consider voting for Christie, 74% say they would consider voting for Cruz, 50 percent say they would consider voting for Bush, and 37 percent say they would consider voting for Trump.

On the flip side, 57 percent of likely Republican primary voters say they would never vote for Trump, 47 percent say they would never vote for Bush, and 40 percent say they would never vote for Paul.

“Donald Trump is a weak frontrunner fortunate to have a crowded field,” according to Dick Bennett, president of the American Research Group. “Rubio, Kasich, Christie, and Cruz combined have half of vote compared to 21 percentfor Trump. And with 57 percent of likely Republican primary voters saying they would never voter for Trump, his upside is limited.”