A new poll of battleground states commissioned by the DSCC and conducted by Global Strategy Group shows the lose-lose situation Republican Senators and Senate candidates are facing in the wake of the recently revealed tapes featuring Donald Trump bragging about sexual assault. The poll of battleground states shows that regardless of whether Republicans choose to stick with Trump or distance themselves from him, voters view their positions as purely political calculations designed to save their campaigns.
Some key takeaways:
– In New Hampshire and Nevada, where Senator Kelly Ayotte and Congressman Joe Heck have pulled their support for Trump, 71% of respondents say these Republicans are only pulling their support to help their electoral prospects
– In these two states, the average vote goes from 44% – 44%, to a 6 point lead for the Democrat when informed of the Republican’s position on Trump
– In Pennsylvania and North Carolina, where Senators Pat Toomey and Richard Burr are still standing with Trump, 68% of respondents say they’re sticking with Trump “for their own political gain”
– In these two states, the average votes goes from 44% – 44%, to a 4 point lead for the Democrat when informed of the Republican’s position on Trump
– 68% of all respondents say Republican Senate candidates should have taken a stand against Trump months ago, before it was politically beneficial to do so
The poll was conducted in New Hampshire, Nevada, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. See the full polling memo from Global Strategy Group here.
“Three weeks out from the election, Republican Senators and Senate candidates are faced with nothing but bad options when it comes to Donald Trump,” said Sadie Weiner, DSCC Communications Director. “They can attempt to distance themselves from Trump or they can stand by him, but either way, voters view their maneuverings as highly political efforts at self-preservation designed only to help their re-election prospects. After building the Party of Trump and sticking by him as he denigrated women, mocked the disabled, and spewed one racial slur after another, Republican Senators and candidates are left with a problem of their own making that translates into trouble at the ballot box.”
