New Poll: If Beating Trump Is the Goal, Kasich Needs to Drop Out
In the latest Quinnipiac University Poll shows what we already know about Ohio Gov. John Kasich: He’s running a distant third in the Republican presidential nomination race, and he can’t win the nomination.
But that same poll shows he would easily win in November, regardless of who the Democrat candidate is, if he somehow were the nominee. And it shows that if the real goal is to stop Donald Trump from becoming the GOP nominee, his best course of action would be to drop out now and throw his support behind U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz.
Trump leads the three-way race, 43-29-16, and leads head-to-head contests with Cruz and Kasich, 46-37 and 56-25, respectively. But in potential November match-ups, Hillary Clinton beats Trump and Cruz, 46-40 and 45-42, respectively, while Kasich wins, 47-39.
Against U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, Trump and Cruz lose, 52-38 and 50-39, respectively, while Kasich wins, 45-44.
National polls, however, fail to accurately describe the real landscape of a general election match-up because of the Electoral College. And, a national match-up poll this early is rarely an accurate barometer.
The Q Poll, however, does share an interesting piece of information.
If Kasich were to drop out, about 50 percent of his supporters would shift to Cruz, while only 30 percent would support Trump. That means about 20 percent of his supporters would be undecided, but perhaps inclined to vote for Cruz as opposed to Trump.
