Iowa Poll Shows That Republicans May Be Receptive To 2020 Primary Challenger For Donald Trump
Donald Trump could have a more difficult road to 2020 re-election than expected, with a recent poll of Iowa voters showing that Republicans may be receptive to the idea of the president facing a Republican primary challenger.
A new CNN/Des Moines Register/Mediacom poll shows that Trump still maintains strong support among Republican voters, with an 81 percent approval rating overall and majority favorability in a number of key areas, like tax cuts, immigration, and even the largely controversial decision to fire Attorney General Jeff Sessions. But as CNN noted, the poll also showed that Trump could be vulnerable to a challenge from another Republican.
The poll found an unusually high number would support Trump facing a primary challenger.
“Overall, 67% of registered Republicans say they would definitely vote to re-elect Trump if the election were held today, 19% would consider someone else and just 10% of the state’s Republicans say they would definitely vote for someone else,” the report noted.
“Republicans in Iowa are fairly closely divided on whether they feel more of an allegiance to the President (37%) or to the Republican Party (43%). Another one in five are unsure which they are closer to. But most (55%) say they think the President cares more about people like them than about people like himself (26%).”
There are already signs that Republicans plan to primary Donald Trump for the Republican nomination. Ohio Gov. John Kasich hinted that he could once again run against Trump. Kasich was the last Republican standing against Trump in the 2016 primary, and has established himself as one of the president’s chief critics on the right.
As CNN noted, Kasich is already dropping hints about a potential run in 2020. After Trump responded to an interviewer asking what the president thought about Republicans John Kasich and Arizona Senator Jeff Flake potentially running against him, Trump said he hoped that they would.
When asked about the statement, Kasich spokesman John Weaver hinted that it may actually happen.
“Be careful what you wish for,” he said in a statement.
John Kasich's message to Trump on a possible 2020 primary challenge: "Be careful what you wish for" https://t.co/lXhkaBrQEY pic.twitter.com/yq0FnLYkIK
— CNN (@CNN) December 14, 2018
Any Republican who chooses to run a primary campaign against Donald Trump in 2020 would still face an uphill battle, political experts say. Though Trump’s overall approval ratings have remained low, he has consistently polled high among Republicans and would be considered difficult to beat. In an interview with the Associated Press, Kasich even admitted that it would be difficult to beat Trump in the current political climate, but said that could still change.
