(The Hill) — Former President Trump’s unfavorability among registered voters has topped 55 percent, according to a new poll.
A NewsNation/Decision Desk HQ poll found roughly 44 percent had a “very unfavorable” view of Trump, the highest such rating across the other seven GOP contenders tested. Another 13 percent reported a “somewhat unfavorable” view, for around 56 percent overall unfavorability.
But the polarizing former president, the front-runner of the GOP primary race, also boasted the highest percentage of voters who viewed him as “very favorable” — with roughly 22 percent expressing strong favorability.
By contrast, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) — long considered Trump’s closest challenger — saw around 34 percent of voters view him “very unfavorably,” and 11 percent view him “very favorably.”
Trump’s numbers come as he faces a myriad of legal battles, including multiple criminal indictments, while he campaigns to return for another four years in the White House. Citing his significant lead in polling, he skipped the first GOP presidential debate and plans to do so for the second debate on Wednesday night, as his fellow 2024 Republican contenders gather in Simi Valley, Calif.
The former president was also the only GOP contender tested in the new poll whose “very favorable” rating was higher than his “somewhat favorable” score.
Former Vice President Mike Pence, by contrast, scored around 7 percent “very favorable” and 22 percent “somewhat favorable,” compared to 33 percent “very unfavorable” and 28 percent “somewhat unfavorable.”
Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy came in at 13 percent “very favorable” and 21 percent “somewhat favorable,” compared to 22 percent “very unfavorable” and 15 percent “somewhat unfavorable.”
Ramaswamy, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley and Sen. Tim Scott (S.C.) received significant percentages of voters who said they were “not sure” about their favorability: 28 percent unsure of Ramaswamy, 29 percent unsure of Haley and 38 percent unsure of Scott.
Voters were most uncertain about former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R), with around 51 percent saying they are unsure about his favorability. Hutchinson didn’t make the cut for the party’s second debate stage in California.
Just around four percent in the poll said they were not sure of Trump’s favorability.
Roughly nine percent each found Haley and Scott very favorable. Another 22 percent viewed Haley somewhat favorably, and similar shares — 19 and 20 percent — viewed her somewhat and very unfavorably, respectively.
Around 19 percent viewed Scott somewhat favorably, and roughly 17 percent each viewed him “somewhat” and “very” unfavorably.
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie had around 5 percent “very favorable” and 17 percent “somewhat favorable” — as well as 27 percent “somewhat unfavorable” and 30 percent “very favorable.”
The poll surveyed 1,000 registered voters between Sept. 19-20, and had the margin of error varied across questions, reported as 3 percentage points. Numbers have been rounded.
