Trump Polls Continue To Defy Media Expectations: Is ‘The Donald’ Bulletproof?
Donald Trump polls continue to defy expectations in spite of news story after news story reporting on something controversial “the Donald” has said.
Currently, the outrage is aimed at his comments calling for a temporary ban on all Muslims, who wish to enter the country.
In a campaign release from Trump’s campaign, the GOP frontrunner had this to say.
“Donald J. Trump is calling for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country’s representatives can figure out what is going on.”
It is a sentiment that he has repeated in public appearances and interviews with news personalities.
As part of the same statement, Trump said that without looking at “the various polling data, it is obvious to anybody the hatred is beyond comprehension. Where this hatred comes from and why we will have to determine.”
He continued,
“Until we are able to determine and understand this problem and the dangerous threat it poses, our country cannot be the victims of horrendous attacks by people that believe only in Jihad, and have no sense of reason or respect for human life.”
Everyone, from Democrats Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders to Republicans Marco Rubio and Paul Ryan, has pounced on the comments, stating, essentially, that Trump’s Muslim ban is “not a reflection of who we are” as a country.
Trump polls would indicate otherwise, and that was precisely what “the Donald” took to Facebook to crow about on Thursday.
“For the past 5 months,” Trump wrote, “media poll experts & establishment politicians have predicted that my campaign will fail. As the polls indicate — we are growing, and will continue to do so — thanks to your support!”
He also drew a comparison to how the media and other rival politicians are “underestimating” him, asking followers “what else” they would underestimate — “Terrorism? Threats of cyber-attacks? I DO NOT WANT TO FIND OUT! When I am elected ?#?POTUS? — I will see to it that we DO NOT find out!”
The comment picked up more than 4,100 shares and 58,000 likes in just four hours, not to mention north of 6,300 comments, mostly supportive.
So what exactly do the latest Trump polls say?
With Ted Cruz largely looked upon as a “Donald Trump Lite” by many voters, it is easy to see how Trump could command more than 50 percent of the Republican base by the time the general election arrives.
The sentiment could go either way for Ben Carson supporters, who are largely hungry for a non-politician in power but may be somewhat turned off by Trump’s admitted cockiness.
Sen. Marco Rubio as well as former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and ex-Hewlett Packard head Carly Fiorina tend to fall in line with the Republican establishment.
Translation: GOP voters, at least those reflected in the Trump polls, are leaning more heavily toward a change from the norm, and that could spell trouble for party leaders and the Republican majorities in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives.
However, it’s also a fear for many on the left as indicated in a recent op-ed for Huffington Post in which Melissa Schwartz urges voters to “wake up.”
“If Donald Trump is elected President, it will be my fault. Your fault. Your neighbor’s fault. Your co-worker’s fault. American voters have the opportunity to do something about this,” she writes.
More and more, pundits and pollsters alike, believe that the Trump polls indicate one thing — his campaign is not a joke. He can win.
It looks like the people agree with Trump! Some of his best polls yet! #Trump2016 #ISupportTrump pic.twitter.com/qjcaRwi5Kv
— Hispanics for Trump (@HispanicsTrump) December 10, 2015
But what do you think, readers? Are many on the right and the left (and “the Donald” himself) reading too much into Trump’s polls success? Sound off in the comments section.
[Image via Christopher Halloran / Shutterstock.com]
