According to a recent poll by NBC News/Des Moines Register/Mediacom, which was released just one day before the Iowa caucuses, 43 percent of Republican caucusgoers in Iowa who are fans of former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley would switch parties and vote for Joe Biden instead of Trump.
The survey also inquired how prospective GOP caucusgoers in Iowa see Trump’s legal battles. Despite his legal troubles, 74% of respondents still think Trump can win the general election, while 23% think he has little chance of defeating Biden. Of those who backed Haley, 54% thought the ex-president couldn’t win, while 42% were more optimistic.
Seven hundred and five potential Republican caucusgoers in Iowa were surveyed between January 7th and 12th. There is a 3.7% margin of error.
Whoever the Republican nominee is in the Republican nomination process, most Iowa Republicans who are expected to participate in the caucuses have already stated their intention to vote for former President Donald Trump in the general election. That is, except those who backed former United Nations ambassador Nikki Haley; 43% of those said they would choose Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden over Trump.
These new results from the most recent Iowa poll by NBC News/Des Moines Register/Mediacom show how many Republicans, Democrats, and independents worried about Trump’s GOP control are backing Haley. The poll found that among her Iowa caucus backers, 50% are either independents or Democrats who switched parties. Ultimately, Trump received 48% of the vote, while Haley received 20%, placing her second.
Even though Trump faces legal difficulties, the survey reveals that three-quarters of caucusgoers still think he can beat Biden. On the other hand, most of Haley’s backers believe Trump has very little chance of winning.
By pointing out her substantial polling numbers versus Biden in debates and when campaigning, Haley has made electability a significant component of her closing case to voters. Those numbers from the general election survey have also been used in advertisements run by her campaign and the super PAC supporting her.
