For most of the primary season, Trump trailed his rivals in hypothetical head to head polls.
is this true? I recall the opposite, actually.
PPP tended to poll 2-way hypothetical matchups in just about every poll, and they had Cruz and Trump just about tied in a hypothetical 2-way race most of the time, despite Trump being well ahead of Cruz when the rest of the candidates were included.
November:
https://www.publicpolicypolling.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/PPP_Release_National_111915.pdfCruz 46%
Trump 44%
Whereas in that same poll, if you include all the candidates, Trump was 7 points ahead of 2nd place (Carson) and 12 points ahead of Cruz.
December:
pdf linkTrump 45%
Cruz 44%
Whereas in that same poll, if you include all the candidates, Trump was 16 points ahead of Cruz, who was in 2nd place.
February:
https://www.publicpolicypolling.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/PPP_Release_National_20416.pdfCruz 47%
Trump 41%
Whereas in that same poll, if you include all the candidates, Trump was 4 points ahead of Cruz and Rubio, who were tied for 2nd place.
March:
https://www.publicpolicypolling.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/PPP_Release_National_32916.pdfTrump 46%
Cruz 44%
Whereas in that same poll, if you include all the candidates, Trump was 10 points ahead of Cruz, who was in 2nd place.
It’s also fun to remember how much the supporters of each of the final three GOP candidates hated the opposing candidates by the time primary season was winding down:
Some more Republican numbers:
Cruz favorability margin among…
Kasich supporters: -36%
Trump supporters: -24%
Kasich favorability margin among…
Cruz supporters: -3%
Trump supporters: -27%
Trump favorability margin among…
Cruz supporters: -31%
Kasich supporters: -60% (lol)
