If you’re wondering whether the Scott Walker train has eased up in terms of widespread Republicans support, a new Public Policy Polling (PPP) poll of Republican Iowa caucus voters shows otherwise. Walker now leads by double-digits in Iowa, ahead of his closest rival by ten points.
Report from PPP:
PPP’s newest Iowa poll finds Scott Walker well ahead of the rest of the Republican field in Iowa, getting 23% to 13% for Marco Rubio, 12% for Jeb Bush, 10% each for Mike Huckabee and Rand Paul, 8% for Ted Cruz, 7% for Ben Carson, 5% for Chris Christie, and 4% for Rick Perry.
Walker has the highest favorability out of anyone in the field, with 59% of voters viewing him favorably to 13% who have an unfavorable view. The key to Walker’s success is that he’s winning both among voters who are most concerned about electability in the general election and among voters who are most concerned with having the most conservative candidate. Among voters who say being able to win in the general is their top priority, Walker gets 21% to edge out Marco Rubio (20%) and Jeb Bush (17%). His lead is much more emphatic among voters saying conservatism is their top priority- with them he gets 29% to 14% for Cruz, 12% for Paul, and 10% for Huckabee.
The poll breaks as follows:
23% – Walker
13% – Rubio
12% – Bush
10% – Huckabee, Paul
8% – Cruz
7% – Carson
5% – Christie
4% – Perry
Walker has gained a lot of momentum but still remains vulnerable. He’ll need to cement that lead and build on it over the next several months before the debates begin in August. He will come under heavy fire but he appeals to many factions of the Republican base so his coalition might be enough to secure a victory in Iowa if the rest of base splits among their favorites.
True, twenty-three percent isn’t amazing, but it does represent a shift from back in February when Mike Huckabee and Jeb Bush were leading in Iowa, respectively.
