Donald Trump Takes First, Scott Walker Second in Fox News Poll

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AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster

In a Fox News poll released Thursday, GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump is in the lead, followed by Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker—the most recent candidate to throw his hat in the ring.

Roughly 18 percent of Republican primary voters favor Trump out of the GOP candidates. Walker comes in with 15 percent support, and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush fell to third place with 14 percent.

No other GOP presidential candidate had double digits.

The poll found that support for Trump increased seven points since last month’s poll and 14 points since May. The poll also revealed that Trump is the candidate people say they want to learn more about during the primary debates.

Walker jumped six points since formally launching his campaign.

Fox News reported:

Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul gets eight percent, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio receives seven percent, former neurosurgeon Ben Carson comes in at six percent, and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee get four percent a piece. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie launched his campaign June 30.  Even so, he comes in at three percent — mostly unchanged from his two percent last month (June 21-23). Ohio Gov. John Kasich (who is announcing Tuesday) and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum each get two percent. Businesswoman Carly Fiorina, former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and former New York Gov. George Pataki each receive one percent or less.

The Fox News poll found that although Hillary Clinton is still the frontrunner on the Democratic side, she may have a little bit of trouble because roughly 70 percent of voters said they wouldn’t vote for a candidate that is sometimes less than honest, and 58 percent believed Clinton’s natural instincts lean toward “hiding the truth” more than “telling the truth.”

The poll surveys voters’s second choices also, and it suggested that if Trump were to drop out, Bush would move to the top spot.

“For example, if Trump decides to get out, Bush moves to the top spot at 19 percent, followed by Walker at 16 percent, Paul at 9 percent, Rubio at 8 percent, Carson at 7 percent, Cruz at 6 percent, Huckabee at 5 percent, Christie and Perry at 3 percent, and Fiorina, Kasich and Santorum get 2 percent,” Fox News reported.

The poll found that 54 percent dismissed Trump as “just a loud mouth.” However, a third admire Trump saying, “he’s got guts.” “That jumps to 59 percent among GOP primary voters,” noted Fox News.

Trump’s comments on illegal immigration have roughly 44 percent of voters agreeing with him that he is “basically right” on the immigration issue, but 53 percent of voters disagree. However, the poll found that among Republican primary voters, roughly 68 percent said Trump is right on illegal immigration.

The poll also had interesting findings on immigration.

“There’s been a major shift in the last five years in how voters want to handle illegal immigrants currently working in the United States. Today 64 percent favor setting up a system for them to become legal residents, up from 49 percent in 2010. And now 30 percent favor deportation, down from 45 percent five years ago,” reported Fox News.

The poll found that the top concerns from voters on illegal immigration is straining the government and also increasing crime.

“The poll shows 55 percent of voters are very concerned about illegal immigrants overburdening government services. That’s down from 61 percent who felt that way in 2006. Fifty percent are very concerned about increased crime associated with illegal immigration. That’s up from 39 percent almost 10 years ago,” Fox News noted.

The Fox News poll also found that 47 percent of voters want Congress to continue investigating Hillary Clinton’s involvement in how she handled the Benghazi attack. “A slightly larger number — 49 percent — think it’s time for Congress to move on,” the poll suggested.

The poll shows good news for Republicans in terms of potential voter involvement because 82 percent of Republican primary voters are excited about the upcoming election in comparison to just 67 percent of Democrat primary voters.

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