National: No ‘Top Tier’ In 2016 GOP Race

[brooklynite]

Source: Monmouth University

West Long Branch, NJ – The latest Monmouth University Poll found that “undecided” is the
most popular response when Republican voters nationwide are asked who they support as their party’s
standard bearer. It remains difficult even to identify a clear “top tier” in the field of 16 possible 2016
Republican presidential candidates. The poll also found that national security and gun control are among
the issues Republican voters consider to be most important in their vote choice.

While former governor Jeb Bush formally announces his candidacy today, it is fellow Floridian
and current U.S. senator Marco Rubio who seems to have enjoyed greater momentum in the past few
weeks. When asked to name who they would like to see as the party’s nominee for president, Republican
and Republican-leaning voters are divided among commentator Dr. Ben Carson (11%), Wisconsin
Governor Scott Walker (10%), Bush (9%), Rubio (9%), and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee
(8%). Other preferences include Kentucky Senator Rand Paul (6%), Texas Senator Ted Cruz (5%), New
Jersey Governor Chris Christie (4%), former Texas Governor Rick Perry (4%), former Pennsylvania
Senator Rick Santorum (3%), businesswoman Carly Fiorina (2%), South Carolina Senator Lindsey
Graham (2%), and businessman Donald Trump (2%). Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal (1%), Ohio
Governor John Kasich (1%), and former New York Governor George Pataki (0%) round out the list.
None of these candidates scores higher than “undecided,” which clocks in at 20%. As one poll participant
said, “I just don’t know where they stand on the issues that matter to me.”

Compared to the last Monmouth poll taken in April, both Carson’s and Rubio’s standing have
increased by 4 points, while the following candidates have dropped: Cruz (6 points), Trump (5 points),
and Bush (4 points). The undecided portion of the GOP electorate has gone up by 6 points.

Read more: http://www.monmouth.edu/assets/0/32212254770/32212254991/32212254992/32212254994/32212254995/30064771087/1c2a9e72-6933-46c4-9d68-87d264821039.pdf

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Ben Carson in first place...sounds like the Republicans are about to start their launch and crash cycle, a la 2012.

[ladjf]

1. In my opinion , the current list of Republican candidates for President

is by far the weakest group yet. There must be 50 million Americans more qualified to be President than this group of party hack
hopefuls.

[AngryDem001]

6. A rock is more qualified to be POTUS than this cadre of jokers.

[Cosmocat]

10. Its just bizarre

a bizarre mix ...

can't be good for the party to have this many, certainly with no standout.

[Doctor_J]

2. Wait. raffi and Perry are not top tier?

Picky, picky, picky

[captainarizona]

3. none of the above

none of the above would win if on poll or ballot!

[Herman4747]

4. No "top tier," you say? Well, of course, they're all low lifes. (n/t)

[Algernon Moncrieff]

5. Two related items worthy of note

First, also check out the morning consult poll results on RCP

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/latest_polls/

Second, Iowa's Gov. Terry Branstad is already objecting to the "top tier" debate format

http://www.sfgate.com/news/politics/article/The-Latest-Marco-Rubio-welcomes-Jeb-Bush-to-2016-6327734.php

The influential governor of the early voting state says Monday the debates should not be limited to "the people that are in the top tier on some national poll."

Instead, Branstad suggests grouping the field of many as 20 contenders into two panels. He says, quote, "then the public gets to see all the candidates and you don't limit it by who's got the most money and that sort of thing."

Branstad says he plans to reach out to Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus and Fox News President Roger Ailes to talk about the issue.

The first scheduled GOP debate is set for August 6. Fox News is the host, and the cable network plans to restrict it to the top 10 candidates based on polling average from recent national polls.

[FSogol]

7. Haw-haw.

[valerief]

8. There's nothing 'top' about that craptastic party. nt

[FSogol]

9. LOL, Carson in the lead? His campaign is imploding. Excellent Salon article on the hot mess:

http://www.salon.com/2015/06/11/ben_carsons_hot_mess_of_a_campaign_a_predictably_dysfunctional_mish_mash_of_fire_breathing_and_insane_policy_ideas/