Polls: GOP Early Primary Voters Demand Tough Stance on Illegal Immigration

GOP primary voters in the three key early-voting states of Iowa, South Carolina, and New Hampshire overwhelmingly say that GOP presidential candidates “must agree” with them on immigration to earn their vote. And roughly eight in ten voters in these states believe that illegal immigrants “drive down Americans’ wages,” harm national security, and “have broken the law and should be penalized or deported.”

Donald Trump, who shot to the front of the GOP presidential field when he took on illegal immigration in his announcement speech, has commanding leads in each of these states.

According to CBS News’s polling conducted November 15-19, 61% of Iowa GOP voters said that a GOP presidential candidate “must agree” with them on immigration while 37% said they were “okay with some differences.”

In Iowa, 81% of GOP voters felt that illegal immigrants “drive down Americans’ wages” while 19% did not. In addition, 89% felt that illegal immigrations have “broken the law and should be penalized or deported” while 11% did not. Another 88% believed that illegal immigrants “harm national security” while 12% did not. On other issues, 39% of Iowans said a candidate must agree with on “matters of faith and religion,” 71% said candidates “must agree” with them on ISIS, and 54% said a candidate “must agree” with them on same-sex marriage. Trump leads in Iowa with 30%, followed by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) with 21% and Dr. Ben Carson with 19%.

In New Hampshire, 63% of GOP voters said a candidate “must agree” with them on immigration while 37% were “okay with some differences.” Seventy-seven percent of GOP voters in the Granite State believed that illegal immigrants drive down wages while 23% did not. Another 86% felt that illegal immigrants have “broken the law and should be penalized” while 14% did not. And 83% believed that illegal immigrants “harm national security” while 17% disagreed. On other issues, 17% said a candidate “must agree” with them on matters of faith, 66% said a candidate “must agree” with them on ISIS, and 25% said that a candidate “must agree” with them on same-sex marriage. Trump leads in New Hampshire with 32%, followed by Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) with 13%.

In South Carolina, 64% of GOP voters said a candidate “must agree with them” on immigration compared to 42% on “faith and religion,” 71% on ISIS, and 54% on same-sex marriage. Seventy-seven percent of GOP voters in the Palmetto State believe that illegal immigrants “drive down Americans’ wages” while 90% believed that illegal immigrants “have broken the law and should be penalized or deported.” In addition, 83% felt that illegal immigrants “harm national security” while 17% disagreed. Trump leads in South Carolina with 35%, followed by Carson with 19%.