A new University of North Florida statewide poll of Republican primary likely voters reveals that if the Republican primary were held today, Donald Trump would garner the most votes with 21.7 percent. The poll shows Ben Carson closing in with 19.3 percent, while Marco Rubio comes in third with 14.9 percent and Jeb Bush at a distant fourth with 9 percent of the vote.
When respondents were asked who their second choice would be, 20.1 percent of respondents selected Rubio. Carson held the second position with 14.9 percent, followed by Carly Fiorina with 11.1 percent and Bush with 10.2 percent. Only 6 percent of voters had Trump as their second choice.
When asked about candidate favorability, 52.5 percent of Republican primary likely voters have a favorable opinion of Trump and 39.9 percent have an unfavorable opinion. Regarding Bush, 64.9 percent have a favorable opinion and 28.8 percent have an unfavorable opinion. Rubio is more popular as 81.1 percent of the respondents view him favorably, while only 13 percent have an unfavorable opinion of him.
Republican primary likely voters think the economy, jobs and unemployment (35.4 percent) are the most important problem facing the United States today, followed by terrorism (18.1 percent) and immigration (13.5 percent).