Freight train Trump has 2-1 lead in latest poll!

NEW YORK  (PNN) - February 17, 2016 - Donald Trump has scored his highest numbers in a Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday that found him with a 2-1 lead among Republican voters nationwide, with 39%.

He’s followed by Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, with 19%, and Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, with 18%. Ohio Governor John Kacich has 6% with former Florida Governor Jeb Bush and Dr. Ben Carson at 4 percent each. Nine percent are undecided. This compares to the results of a Feb. 5 survey by the independent, Hamden-based Quinnipiac University poll, showing Trump with 31%, Cruz with 22% and Rubio with 19%.

In the Democrat race nationwide, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has 44%, with Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont at 42%, and 11% undecided, unchanged from February 5.

The top three Republicans are closely matched in terms of voter opinion as Trump gets a 62-31 percent favorability among Republicans, with 64-17 percent for Rubio and 62-23 percent for Cruz.

“Reports of Donald Trump’s imminent demise as a candidate are clearly and greatly exaggerated,” said Tim Malloy, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll. “Like a freight train barreling through signals with his horn on full blast, Trump heads down the track towards a possible nomination.”

“There is a ‘but,’ ” Malloy said. “Trump’s raw numbers are formidable, but he trails the pack on some ‘from the gut’ character measurements, and the kind of bright spot that Jeb Bush supporters, few as they be, may grab a hold of. The former Florida governor polls best in the pack on ‘experience.’”

“Senator Bernie Sanders and Secretary Hillary Clinton are neck and neck. But while Bernie has the trust, Hillary has the experience. Two different measurements of two dissimilar candidates,” Malloy pointed out.

Trump has a good chance of winning in November, 77% of Republican voters nationwide say.

Looking at key characteristics, Bush leads in one area as 74% of Republicans say he has the right kind of experience to be president, with Cruz at 68%, Trump at 60%, Kasich at 59% and Rubio at 54%.

On other qualities, Republican voters say: 72% that Rubio is honest and trustworthy, with 70% for Bush, 65% for Kasich, 62% for Cruz and 60% for Trump.

Other Q poll results found: 80% that Trump has strong leadership qualities, with 69% or Cruz, 63% for Rubio, 60% for Bush and 58% for Kasich; 73% that Rubio cares about their needs and problems, with 67% for Cruz, 66% for Bush and 62% each for Trump and Kasich; 70% say Rubio shares their values, with 69% for Bush, 67% for Cruz, 60% for Trump and 57% for Kasich.