FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 1, 2015
INTERVIEWS: Tom Jensen 919-744-6312
IF YOU HAVE BASIC METHODOLOGICAL QUESTIONS, PLEASE E-MAIL
information
publicpolicypolling.com, OR CONSULT THE FINAL PARAGRAPH
OF THE PRESS RELEASE
Cruz Surges Following Candidacy Announcement
Raleigh, N.C. – PPP's newest Republican national poll finds that Ted Cruz has the big
momentum following the official announcement of his candidacy last week. His support
has increased from 5% to 16% in just over a month, enough to make him one of three
candidates in the top tier of GOP contenders, along with Scott Walker and Jeb Bush.
Walker continues to lead the field with 20%, although that's down from his 25% standing
a month ago. Bush continues to poll at 17%, followed by Cruz at 16%, Ben Carson and
Rand Paul at 10%, Marco Rubio and Mike Huckabee at 6%, Chris Christie at 4%, and
Rick Perry at 3%.
Cruz has really caught fire with voters identifying themselves as 'very conservative' since
his announcement. After polling at only 11% with them a month ago, he now leads the
GOP field with 33% to 25% for Walker and 12% for Carson with no one else in double
digits. Last month Walker led with that group and almost all of the decline in his overall
support over the last month has come within it as those folks have moved toward Cruz.
Cruz's name recognition with Republican voters has increased from 61% to 82% since his
announcement.
Two candidates are clearly losing ground. The biggest is Ben Carson, who's dropped
from 18% to his new 10% standing. There's a lot of overlap between the voters who like
Carson and the voters who like Cruz and where previously they'd been naming Carson as
their first choice the momentum for Cruz lately seems to have really cut into Carson's
support. The other potential candidate who seems to be losing some steam is Mike
Huckabee. A month ago he was at 10%, but now his standing has declined to 6%.
“This contest is starting to bear some resemblance to the 2012 Republican nomination
fight,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. “A couple of months ago
Ben Carson was the hot thing in the field, now Ted Cruz is and Carson’s support is
drying up. It’s very reminiscent of the boom and bust we saw with various candidates
four years ago. And Jeb Bush remaining steady as others rise and fall is also similar to
how things went for Mitt Romney went that cycle.”
http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/2015/PPP_National_40115.pdf
