Most Republicans feel betrayed by their party -- and show their displeasure by supporting outsiders over establishment candidates in the GOP presidential race. [read the article I posted on Operation Hummingbird TM]

By Dana Blanton, September 23, 2015


Real-estate mogul Donald Trump and retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson are the favorites in the Republican race in the latest Fox News national poll on the 2016 election. Neither has held elected office before and yet the two of them -- together with businesswoman Carly Fiorina -- capture the support of more than half of GOP primary voters.

On the Democratic side, support for Vice President Joe Biden -- who is still considering a run -- has almost doubled since August. But make no mistake: Hillary Clinton remains the frontrunner.

Trump stays on top with 26 percent among GOP primary voters, followed by Carson at 18 percent. Fiorina and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio are next, tied at 9 percent. All four have gained ground. After the August Fox News debate, Trump had 25 percent, while Carson had 12 percent, Fiorina 5 percent and Rubio 4 percent.

Trump holds his leader status even though he was once again rated in the poll as having done the worst job in the debate. Fiorina, Rubio and Carson receive positive marks for their performances.

The appeal of outsiders comes from significant dissatisfaction with the party establishment: 62 percent of Republican primary voters feel “betrayed” by politicians in their party, and another 66 percent say the recent Republican majorities in Washington have failed to do all they could to block or reverse President Obama’s agenda. For comparison, 40 percent of Democratic primary voters feel betrayed by their party.

Frustration with party leaders has been a recurring theme for one sitting GOP senator in the race, Ted Cruz of Texas, who is next in the poll at eight percent. He was at 10 percent in August.

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush garners seven percent, a new low for him in the Fox News poll. He had 15 percent support as recently as early August.

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But what would happen if the “current front-runner” aka Trump were out? The Fox poll asks voters their second choice candidate, which allows us to look at what happens to the race if someone were to get out. For instance, if Trump gets out, Carson takes the top spot (24 percent), followed by Rubio (12 percent), Fiorina (11 percent), Cruz (11 percent) and Bush (10 percent).

Trump supporters go for Carson (23 percent), Bush (14 percent), Cruz (12 percent) and Rubio (10 percent) as their second-choice picks.

Among all GOP primary voters, the second choice favorites are: Fiorina (14 percent), Carson (13 percent), Trump (12 percent), Bush (10 percent) and Rubio (10 percent).

Clinton sits atop the Democratic pack with the support of 44 percent of primary voters. Yet that’s a new low for her -- down five points since last month. She was at 61 percent in June. Clinton is holding on to her advantage despite 58 percent of all voters -- and 31 percent of Democratic primary voters -- believing she is lying about her emails.

Clinton’s closest rival is still Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who holds steady at 30 percent. Biden gets a record high 18 percent. A month ago he was at 10 percent.

The remaining Democratic candidates are at two percent or less, including the newest entrant -- Harvard Professor Lawrence Lessig -- who made it official September 9.

Without Biden in the race, it’s Clinton 56 percent and Sanders 32 percent.

Clinton also maintains her advantage over GOP front-runner Trump in a potential 2016 matchup: 46-42 percent. Last month, it was Clinton over Trump by 47-42 percent.

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http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/09/...nearly-doubles/