A majority of Americans say they will never vote for Sarah Palin or Donald Trump for president, according to a new Quinnipiac poll. The divisive pair both earned a thumbs down from 58% of Americans. Palin received a 15% “enthusiastic” rating, and Trump (and Gingrich) only a 9% “enthusiastic” rating. The poll also delivered bad news to Newt Gingrich, with 42% of Americans saying, “never,” and to Mike Huckabee, who earned the permanent distaste of 32% of Americans.
Of the 58% voting “never” for Palin, 24% were Republicans and 91% were Democrats. Trump earned the ire of 32% of Republicans and 81% of Democrats.
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Perhaps absence makes the heart grow fonder, as Mitt Romney, who has been all but absent of late, scored the best overall: 15% of Americans said they are “enthusiastic” about the former Massachusetts governor, 38% said they “would consider” voting for him, and “only” 26% said they would “never” vote for him.
Michele Bachmann also fared poorly, receiving the lowest level of enthusiasm, 6%, the lowest level of “would consider,” 21%, while some are leaving their option open; only 29% said “never.”
“Comparing those who say they would never vote for a candidate versus those who say they would consider voting for the candidate and those who are enthusiastic is a good way to view a candidate’s growth potential,” said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute, who added, Sarah Palin and Donald Trump suffer from the reality that, as our mothers told us, ‘You never get a second chance to make a first impression.'”
In another Quinnipiac poll, however, Sarah Palin scored the best among women Republican voters, earning 20% to the question, “If the 2012 Republican primary for President were being held today, and the candidates were Sarah Palin, Mike Huckabee, Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney, Mitch Daniels, Tim Pawlenty, Ron Paul, Michelle Bachman, Gary Johnson, Rick Santorum, John Huntsman, and Donald Trump, for whom would you vote?”
Mitt Romney earned 20%, also the best score, in answer to the same question of men Republican voters.