Fox News Poll: Walker seen as strong leader among GOP, Clinton’s honesty ratings drop

[Formerly Once-Ler]

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/03/05/fox-news-poll-walker-seen-as-strong-leader-among-gop-clintons-honesty-ratings/

The latest Fox News poll asks voters whether a variety of traits describe some of the 2016 contenders.

Overall, there’s general agreement that former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (+54 points), former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (+40), Florida Sen. Marco Rubio (+34) and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (+24) are patriotic.  For comparison, those margins all beat President Barack Obama’s (+11) on this measure.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/interactive/2015/03/05/fox-news-poll-views-obamas-honesty-hits-new-low-walker-seen-as-strong-leader/  CLICK HERE TO READ THE POLL RESULTS

On the other hand, “strong leader” is not a trait that lots of voters see in the GOP candidates tested.  More voters perceive Clinton as a strong leader (+16 points) than Walker (+11), Rubio (+7) and Bush (-1). And many more see her as a strong leader than say the same of Obama (-12).

More self-identified Republicans think “strong leader” describes Walker (+35 points) than Rubio (+33) and Bush (+18).

“Walker is in a nice position right now,” says Democratic pollster Chris Anderson, who conducts the Fox News Poll along with Republican pollster Daron Shaw. “Republicans who know him overwhelmingly think he is a strong leader, and there are very few in the base who hold negative opinions toward him.”

While Clinton performs well on leadership, she’s underwater on honesty (-8 points).  Just 44 percent say the label “honest” describes her, while 52 percent disagree.  A year ago, by a 54-42 percent margin, voters said Clinton was “honest and trustworthy” (April 2014).

That rating suggests recent revelations about Clinton -- especially concerning the activities of the Clinton Foundation -- may be taking a toll. Sixty-one percent of voters say if recent allegations are true and the foundation accepted contributions from foreign governments while Clinton was secretary of state -- it was the wrong thing to do. 

More voters than not say “honest” describes Rubio (+9 points), Walker (+8) and Bush (+7).

Among all voters, Bush does best on “patriotic” and “caring.”  His trouble spot is “strong leader,” as he’s underwater on that -- albeit by just one point.

“It’s interesting and potentially important how well Bush scores on the caring trait,” says Shaw.  “Empathy is something recent GOP candidates have not scored well on, and reducing this gap is essential for them to do well in 2016.”

Each of the candidates receives positive ratings on “caring”:  Bush (+24 points), Clinton (+22), Rubio (+17) and Walker (+10).

Among those familiar with them, Walker does best on “patriotic” and “strong leader” and Rubio’s top traits are “patriotic” and “caring.”  Both of these candidates are less well known than either Bush or Clinton.

The Fox News poll is conducted by telephone with live interviewers under the joint direction of Anderson Robbins Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R).  The 1,011 registered voters were reached via landline and cell phone numbers randomly selected for inclusion in this nationwide survey from March 1-3, 2015.  The full poll has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus three percentage points.

Do conservatives want an empathetic President?  Fox News thinks it's important.

Great news about Hitlery.

The poll shows Obama is down to 42% approval 53% disapproval.  Congress is up 8 points since it's all time low in Oct of 2013.  The Tea Party is up 5 points since it's all time low in Aug of 2014.  and for the first time since 2004 more people think the economy is getting better 44% to 43% worse.

The other really interesting thing to me is the question:

Do you think the United States is safer or less safe today than before 9/11?

Safer - 38%  less safe - 53%

That is a record for the lowest it's been.

[libertybele]

It seems to me that Walker already has the ability to clear Jeb from his path and that is certainly great news.

[Longiron]

It seems to me that Walker already has the ability to clear Jeb from his path and that is certainly great news.

That is good news BUT  IS Walker the back up plan of the RINOGOP if Jeb fails. Walker is strong on Unions and has proven that but how much different from JEB on anything else????? Still think his conservative credentials need verified some more. Thus far the ONLY conservative as a prospect POTUS is CRUZ. He is a conservative and by far more intelligent than anyone thus far that is predicted to run for the POTUS. Time will tell!!!!

[flowers]

I wonder what Walkers numbers are against Warren?

[libertybele]

Anyone clearing the playing field from Bush is a good thing. I am biased against Bush because I reside in the State of Florida and perhaps have been a little more focused on his land grab scandals and his huge push for Common Core than most. I can honestly say that since he has left office, our "illegal invasion" has diminished.  As I have stated in the past I have reservations about Walker due to his flip-flopping on a couple of issues; mainly immigration.  Interestingly, from what I've read Walker's success in the recall election was due in part from the huge support of TEA.  He definitely has the ability to hang tough and it appears he generally does what he says he's going to do.  Walker helped to turn the economy around in Wisconsin as for Bush doing the same for Florida; definitely not so much.

I think the GOPe's alternative to Bush is Rubio...another Floridian. Personally, I don't like either one of them and can't see myself voting for either one of them.

[libertybele]

" Thus far the ONLY conservative as a prospect POTUS is CRUZ. He is a conservative and by far more intelligent than anyone thus far that is predicted to run for the POTUS. Time will tell!!!! "

I agree with you 100%.  He is extremely intelligent and an excellent debater and I don't know of anyone who is more conservative than any of the other potential candidates than Cruz.  One needs to consider some of his unknown attributes that he has;  he served as a domestic policy advisor to U.S. President George W. Bush on the 2000 Bush-Cheney campaign. Cruz was also an adjunct professor of law at the University of Texas School of Law in Austin, from 2004 to 2009. While there, he taught U.S. Supreme Court litigation.Cruz graduated cum laude from Princeton University with a Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs in 1992. While at Princeton, he competed for the American Whig-Cliosophic Society's Debate Panel and won the top speaker award at both the 1992 U.S. National Debating Championship and the 1992 North American Debating Championship.[ In 1992, he was named U.S. National Speaker of the Year and Team of the Year (with his debate partner, David Panton)Cruz was also a semi-finalist at the 1995 World Universities Debating Championship, making him Princeton’s highest-ranked debater at the championship Princeton's debate team later named their annual novice championship after Cruz.  He was the first Hispanic, the youngest and the longest-serving solicitor general in Texas history.

I think he is waiting in the shadows to announce his candidacy and is going to jump in at the very last minute after the "playing field" clears a bit.  I think he is going to take everyone by surprise.  He will walk all over Clinton and Warren.  He is not popular amongst the GOPe and the DEMS hate him.  I see that as a win/win.

[truth_seeker]

I always vote for the more conservative, and that is always the Republican versus the democrat.

Sitting home, because the Republican is not my ideal, is in my view, a foolish choice.

Over time, staying home will bring about a more liberal community (city, county, state, nation), which is the very thing you claim to oppose.

Between Walker and Cruz, there is no comparison. Walker has real world management accomplishments. Cruz has academic only accomplishments. Solicitor General is like a professor of law job.

He reminds me of Alan Keyes, big on oratory and little more.

The polls reflect that my views are in line with common sense voters.