Former President Donald Trump’s endorsement is more valuable than President Joe Biden’s, particularly among independent voters, a Rasmussen Reports survey released Tuesday found.
The survey, which came ahead of the Republican Senate primary race in Ohio, asked respondents if they would be more likely to vote for a candidate in their state if he or she had Trump’s or Biden’s support.
“If a candidate for election in your state were endorsed by President Joe Biden, would you be more likely or less likely to vote for that candidate? Or would it not make much difference?” the survey asked.
A plurality, 46 percent, said a Biden endorsement would make them “less likely” to support the candidate, while 26 percent said it would make them “more likely” to offer their support. Notably, a majority, or 52 percent, of independents said a Biden endorsement would steer them away from the candidate.
In contrast, nearly one-third said they would be “more likely” to support a candidate if he or she was backed by Trump, but 43 percent said it would make them “less likely” to offer their support. Independent voters are more receptive to Trump’s endorsement, as 25 percent said they would be “more likely” to support a Trump-endorsed candidate, compared to 12 percent who said the same of Biden:
Among voters not affiliated with either major party, Trump’s endorsement is roughly twice as valuable as Biden’s. Twenty-five percent (25%) of unaffiliated voters say they’d be more likely to vote for a candidate in their state endorsed by Trump, while 37% would be less likely to vote for a Trump-endorsed candidate. Twelve percent (12%) of unaffiliated voters would be more likely to vote for a Biden-endorsed candidate, while a majority (52%) would be less likely to vote for a candidate in their state endorsed by Biden.
The survey, taken April 28 and May 1, 2022, among 1,000 likely U.S. voters has a +/- 3 percent margin of error. It comes on the heels of J.D. Vance’s victory in Ohio’s Senate Republican primary, as he surged in the polls in the final stretch of the race after Trump offered an endorsement, deeming Vance “the most likely to take out the weak, but dangerous, Democrat opponent.”
“He’s strong on the Border, tough on Crime, understands how to use Taxes and Tariffs to hold China accountable, will fight to break up Big Tech, and has been a warrior on the Rigged and Stolen Presidential Election,” Trump added in his endorsement.