Pew Research Center

FOR RELEASE JANUARY 20, 2016

Detailed tables: Views of candidates as potential presidents

Detailed Tables

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Pew Research Center, January 2016, "Detailed tables: Views of candidates as potential presidents"

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Table of contents

  • About Pew Research Center
  • Detailed tables: Views of candidates as potential presidents
  • Republican views of Jeb Bush as president
  • Republican views of Ben Carson as president
  • Republican views of Chris Christie as president
  • Republican views of Ted Cruz as president
  • Republican views of John Kasich as president
  • Republican views of Marco Rubio as president
  • Republican views of Donald Trump as president
  • Democrats’ views of Hillary Clinton as president
  • Democrats’ views of Bernie Sanders as president

Detailed tables: Views of candidates as potential presidents

Detailed Tables

Detailed tables that accompany the report: Voters Skeptical That 2016 Candidates Would Make Good Presidents, January 20, 2016.

Republican and Republican-Leaning Registered Voters’ views of GOP candidates

  • Republican views of Jeb Bush as president
  • Republican views of Ben Carson as president
  • Republican views of Chris Christie as president
  • Republican views of Ted Cruz as president
  • Republican views of John Kasich as president
  • Republican views of Marco Rubio as president
  • Republican views of Donald Trump as president

Democratic and Democratic-Leaning Registered Voters’ views of Democratic candidates

  • Democrats’ views of Hillary Clinton as president
  • Democrats’ views of Bernie Sanders as president

Republican views of Jeb Bush as president

BASED ON REPUBLICAN AND REPUBLICAN-LEANING REGISTERED VOTERS

If Jeb Bush were to become president do you think he would be a great, good, average, poor, or terrible president?

NET Great/Good % Great % Good % Average % NET Poor/Terrible % Poor % Terrible % (VOL.) Never heard of/DK/Ref % Unweighted N
All Rep/Rep Lean RV 26 3 22 35 36 21 15 3 702
SEX
Men 25 3 22 35 38 22 16 2 424
Women 27 4 22 35 33 19 14 5 278
AGE
18-39 24 6 17 33 39 25 14 4 127
40-64 24 2 22 40 34 18 15 2 335
65+ 30 3 27 30 35 20 15 5 232
EDUCATION
College grad+ 30 3 27 37 31 18 12 2 323
Non-college grad 23 4 19 34 38 22 17 4 375
FAMILY INCOME
$75,000+ 30 3 27 33 35 20 15 2 298
$30,000-$74,999 21 4 16 37 38 22 17 4 228
<$30,000 26 6 21 39 30 18 13 5 102
IDEOLOGY
Conservative 27 3 24 35 35 21 14 3 438
Moderate/Lib 24 5 19 37 36 21 15 3 254
THOUGHT ABOUT ELECTION
A lot 25 3 22 34 41 21 20 1 449
NET Less than a lot 27 4 23 38 28 20 8 8 253

Republican views of Ben Carson as president

BASED ON REPUBLICAN AND REPUBLICAN-LEANING REGISTERED VOTERS

If Ben Carson were to become president do you think he would be a great, good, average, poor, or terrible president?

  NET Great/Good % Great % Good % Average % NET Poor/Terrible % Poor % Terrible % (VOL.) Never heard of/DK/Ref % Unweighted N
All Rep/Rep Lean RV 44 12 31 30 18 13 5 8 702
SEX
Men 45 10 35 29 18 12 6 8 424
Women 42 15 27 31 17 14 3 10 278
AGE
18-39 39 7 32 32 21 13 8 8 127
40-64 44 15 29 33 16 11 4 8 335
65+ 50 12 38 24 15 13 2 10 232
EDUCATION
College grad+ 46 13 33 28 19 14 5 6 323
Non-college grad 43 12 30 31 17 12 5 9 375
FAMILY INCOME
$75,000+ 48 15 33 28 20 14 6 4 298
$30,000-$74,999 41 10 31 32 19 15 4 9 228
<$30,000 37 14 23 30 17 13 4 16 102
IDEOLOGY
Conservative 51 16 35 27 15 11 4 7 438
Moderate/Lib 32 7 24 35 23 17 6 10 254
THOUGHT ABOUT ELECTION
A lot 47 15 33 28 19 14 6 5 449
NET Less than a lot 38 9 29 33 15 12 3 14 253

Republican views of Chris Christie as president

BASED ON REPUBLICAN AND REPUBLICAN-LEANING REGISTERED VOTERS

If Chris Christie were to become president do you think he would be a great, good, average, poor, or terrible president?

NET Great/Good % Great % Good % Average % NET Poor/Terrible % Poor % Terrible % (VOL.) Never heard of/DK/Ref % Unweighted N
All Rep/Rep Lean RV 32 3 28 34 26 18 7 9 702
SEX
Men 31 3 28 34 28 18 10 7 424
Women 32 3 29 34 23 18 5 11 278
AGE
18-39 20 1 19 39 34 27 7 8 127
40-64 33 4 28 34 24 15 8 9 335
65+ 41 2 39 29 19 12 7 11 232
EDUCATION
College grad+ 38 5 33 34 21 16 5 6 323
Non-college grad 28 2 26 34 28 19 9 10 375
FAMILY INCOME
$75,000+ 36 5 31 34 24 18 6 6 298
$30,000-$74,999 28 2 26 36 30 22 8 6 228
<$30,000 25 2 23 31 25 16 9 20 102
IDEOLOGY
Conservative 33 3 29 34 24 17 7 9 438
Moderate/Lib 30 3 28 34 28 20 9 7 254
THOUGHT ABOUT ELECTION
A lot 37 4 33 32 27 18 9 4 449
NET Less than a lot 22 2 20 37 23 18 6 17 253

Republican views of Ted Cruz as president

BASED ON REPUBLICAN AND REPUBLICAN-LEANING REGISTERED VOTERS

If Ted Cruz were to become president do you think he would be a great, good, average, poor, or terrible president?

NET Great/Good % Great % Good % Average % NET Poor/Terrible % Poor % Terrible % (VOL.) Never heard of/DK/Ref % Unweighted N
All Rep/Rep Lean RV 53 16 37 25 13 9 4 8 702
SEX
Men 53 17 36 25 15 11 5 7 424
Women 54 14 39 26 10 7 3 10 278
AGE
18-39 46 15 31 32 16 11 5 7 127
40-64 54 17 37 26 12 8 5 8 335
65+ 59 15 45 18 12 10 3 10 232
EDUCATION
College grad+ 53 19 34 25 15 9 5 8 323
Non-college grad 54 15 39 26 12 9 4 8 375
FAMILY INCOME
$75,000+ 58 17 40 23 15 9 6 5 298
$30,000-$74,999 50 16 34 29 14 10 3 7 228
<$30,000 48 10 38 27 10 6 4 15 102
IDEOLOGY
Conservative 66 20 45 20 8 6 2 6 438
Moderate/Lib 34 9 25 35 21 13 7 11 254
THOUGHT ABOUT ELECTION
A lot 62 22 40 21 12 8 4 5 449
NET Less than a lot 38 6 33 34 14 10 3 14 253

Republican views of John Kasich as president

BASED ON REPUBLICAN AND REPUBLICAN-LEANING REGISTERED VOTERS

If John Kasich were to become president do you think he would be a great, good, average, poor, or terrible president?

NET Great/Good % Great % Good % Average % NET Poor/Terrible % Poor % Terrible % (VOL.) Never heard of/DK/Ref % Unweighted N
All Rep/Rep Lean RV 17 2 15 31 25 19 7 27 702
SEX
Men 17 1 16 38 24 18 6 21 424
Women 16 3 13 23 27 20 7 35 278
AGE
18-39 10 0 10 36 28 20 8 27 127
40-64 18 2 16 29 24 18 5 29 335
65+ 21 3 17 31 24 16 8 24 232
EDUCATION
College grad+ 23 3 20 32 19 14 6 26 323
Non-college grad 14 1 12 30 29 21 7 28 375
FAMILY INCOME
$75,000+ 21 2 19 37 20 15 4 23 298
$30,000-$74,999 11 2 9 24 34 26 8 30 228
<$30,000 16 2 14 33 18 14 4 33 102
IDEOLOGY
Conservative 16 2 14 33 26 18 7 26 438
Moderate/Lib 18 2 16 29 25 19 6 28 254
THOUGHT ABOUT ELECTION
A lot 19 2 17 31 29 20 9 21 449
NET Less than a lot 13 1 11 32 19 16 3 37 253

Republican views of Marco Rubio as president

BASED ON REPUBLICAN AND REPUBLICAN-LEANING REGISTERED VOTERS

If Marco Rubio were to become president do you think he would be a great, good, average, poor, or terrible president?

NET Great/Good % Great % Good % Average % NET Poor/Terrible % Poor % Terrible % (VOL.) Never heard of/DK/Ref % Unweighted N
All Rep/Rep Lean RV 44 9 35 30 17 12 4 9 702
SEX
Men 43 7 35 32 18 13 5 7 424
Women 46 12 35 27 15 11 4 12 278
AGE
18-39 37 9 28 31 23 19 4 9 127
40-64 41 6 35 34 17 11 5 9 335
65+ 57 15 42 22 11 9 3 10 232
EDUCATION
College grad+ 54 10 43 26 16 11 5 4 323
Non-college grad 40 9 31 32 17 13 4 11 375
FAMILY INCOME
$75,000+ 48 8 40 26 21 16 5 5 298
$30,000-$74,999 40 11 29 35 16 13 3 10 228
<$30,000 37 7 30 34 12 7 6 16 102
IDEOLOGY
Conservative 48 9 38 32 12 10 3 8 438
Moderate/Lib 39 9 30 27 25 17 8 9 254
THOUGHT ABOUT ELECTION
A lot 50 12 38 27 18 13 5 5 449
NET Less than a lot 34 5 29 35 14 11 3 16 253

Republican views of Donald Trump as president

BASED ON REPUBLICAN AND REPUBLICAN-LEANING REGISTERED VOTERS

If Donald Trump were to become president do you think he would be a great, good, average, poor, or terrible president?

NET Great/Good % Great % Good % Average % NET Poor/Terrible % Poor % Terrible % (VOL.) Never heard of/DK/Ref % Unweighted N
All Rep/Rep Lean RV 56 20 36 18 22 11 11 5 702
SEX
Men 59 21 39 16 20 10 10 5 424
Women 52 19 33 20 24 12 12 5 278
AGE
18-39 49 19 30 21 28 12 16 1 127
40-64 57 20 37 16 22 11 10 6 335
65+ 59 21 38 18 16 7 9 7 232
EDUCATION
College grad+ 50 17 33 18 28 14 14 4 323
Non-college grad 59 21 38 17 18 9 9 5 375
FAMILY INCOME
$75,000+ 57 21 36 20 22 11 11 2 298
$30,000-$74,999 58 17 41 15 24 11 13 4 228
<$30,000 52 26 26 19 21 9 12 8 102
IDEOLOGY
Conservative 61 22 39 18 17 8 9 4 438
Moderate/Lib 47 15 32 18 29 15 14 6 254
THOUGHT ABOUT ELECTION
A lot 65 26 39 14 18 9 9 3 449
NET Less than a lot 40 8 32 24 28 14 15 8 253

Democrats’ views of Hillary Clinton as president

BASED ON DEMOCRATIC AND DEMOCRATIC-LEANING REGISTERED VOTERS

If Hillary Clinton were to become president do you think she would be a great, good, average, poor, or terrible president?

NET Great/Good % Great % Good % Average % NET Poor/Terrible % Poor % Terrible % (VOL.) Never heard of/DK/Ref % Unweighted N
All Dem/Dem Lean RV 64 21 43 23 11 7 3 3 679
SEX
Men 61 17 44 27 10 7 3 2 339
Women 66 24 42 20 11 7 3 3 340
AGE
18-39 54 17 37 33 10 7 3 2 212
40-64 69 25 44 19 10 7 3 2 293
65+ 67 18 50 13 15 10 5 5 167
SEX/AGE
Men 18-49 53 14 40 33 12 8 4 1 157
Women 18-49 63 24 39 27 8 5 3 2 140
Men 50+ 70 21 48 20 9 6 2 2 181
Women 50+ 68 23 44 14 14 10 4 4 194
RACE/ETHNICITY
White, non-Hispanic 61 16 45 22 14 10 4 2 432
Black, non-Hispanic 69 26 43 22 6 4 1 3 111
EDUCATION
College grad 69 21 47 22 7 4 3 2 357
Non-college grad 60 20 40 24 13 9 4 3 320
FAMILY INCOME
$75,000+ 67 23 45 22 10 6 4 1 265
$30,000-$74,999 62 17 45 26 11 8 3 1 215
<$30,000 62 24 38 24 10 7 3 4 151
IDEOLOGY
Cons/Mod 59 19 40 23 15 10 5 3 389
Liberal 72 23 49 23 4 3 1 1 277
THOUGHT ABOUT ELECTION
A lot 66 27 39 20 12 9 4 2 378
NET Less than a lot 61 14 47 27 9 6 3 3 299

Democrats’ views of Bernie Sanders as president

BASED ON DEMOCRATIC AND DEMOCRATIC-LEANING REGISTERED VOTERS

If Bernie Sanders were to become president do you think he would be a great, good, average, poor, or terrible president?

NET Great/Good % Great % Good % Average % NET Poor/Terrible % Poor % Terrible % (VOL.) Never heard of/DK/Ref % Unweighted N
All Dem/Dem Lean RV 51 17 33 26 13 10 3 11 679
SEX
Men 55 16 40 23 14 9 4 8 339
Women 47 19 28 28 12 10 1 14 340
AGE
18-39 56 22 33 29 6 5 1 9 212
40-64 48 15 32 26 17 13 3 10 293
65+ 48 13 35 20 16 12 5 16 167
SEX/AGE
Men 18-49 58 17 42 27 9 5 4 7 157
Women 18-49 47 23 24 34 9 8 1 10 140
Men 50+ 52 15 37 19 20 14 5 9 181
Women 50+ 46 15 31 22 15 13 2 17 194
RACE/ETHNICITY
White, non-Hispanic 56 22 34 23 15 11 3 7 432
Black, non-Hispanic 48 13 35 26 11 8 3 16 111
EDUCATION
College grad+ 56 23 33 24 12 9 3 8 357
Non-college grad 47 14 33 27 13 10 3 13 320
FAMILY INCOME
$75,000+ 55 20 34 25 14 11 3 6 265
$30,000-$74,999 54 20 34 23 14 11 3 9 215
<$30,000 41 12 29 31 9 7 1 20 151
IDEOLOGY
Cons/Mod 38 10 29 33 16 13 3 13 389
Liberal 70 30 40 16 7 5 2 7 277
THOUGHT ABOUT ELECTION
A lot 61 26 35 20 13 10 2 7 378
NET Less than a lot 40 9 31 33 12 9 3 15 299