Americans see Hillary Clinton, Jeb Bush as presidential

NEW YORK — When it comes to Americans envisioning a 2016 presidential candidate moving into the White House, Hillary Clinton has the edge.

Nearly half of U.S. adults say they have a “realistic vision” of Clinton being president, outpacing any of the seven Democratic and Republican candidates tested on the question, according to a new Bloomberg Politics national poll.

Jeb Bush fares best among the Republicans with 40 percent, compared to Clinton’s 47 percent, and Donald Trump fares worst with 29 percent.

Fifty-two percent say they can’t see Clinton as president and 57 percent say the same about Bush — lower than the 69 percent who say they can’t see Trump taking the job. In a race where political outsiders seem to grow stronger every week, this is one area where experience seems to be a plus: Clinton is a former first lady, senator, and secretary of state; Bush is a former Florida governor and the son and brother of ex-presidents; and the billionaire Trump is making his first foray into electoral politics.

Though Trump leads the Republican field in horse-race polling, he’s the only candidate tested for this question who doesn’t get the support of a majority of members of his or her own party. Forty-five percent of Republicans say have a realistic vision of Trump as president and 53 percent say they don’t. Just 13 percent of Democrats and 30 percent of independents can see him in the job.

Clinton’s overall numbers benefit from strong enthusiasm among Democrats: 74 percent who identify with the party say they have a realistic vision of Clinton as president. Twenty-three percent of Republicans and 33 percent of independents say the same.

In a sign of how seriously Wall Street takes Clinton’s candidacy, pharmaceutical and biotech stocks dropped earlier this week as her campaign signaled that she would be offering policy proposals that would force the industry to lower prices, increase spending on research, and give up tens of billions of dollars of tax breaks.

When it comes to Bush, Republicans are closely divided on the question. Fifty-three percent say they can see him as president and 46 percent say they don’t. Three in 10 Democrats say they can, while two thirds say they can’t.

Thirty-four percent say they can see Bernie Sanders, a Vermont socialist who serves in the Senate as an independent, being commander-in-chief, including 53 percent of Democrats and just 14 percent of Republicans. Independents are less confident in Sanders’ candidacy than in Clinton’s by this metric, with 27 percent saying they have a realistic vision of Sanders making it to the White House.

Regarding other Republican candidates, about a third of respondents say they can envision former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina and retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson as president, while three in 10 could picture freshman Florida Sen. Marco Rubio on the job.

The poll was conducted for Bloomberg Politics by the Iowa-based Selzer &Co. from Sept. 18-21 and is based on interviews with 1,001 U.S. adults. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.1 percentage points on the full sample and higher among subgroups.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

A firefighter stands in silence before a panel bearing the names of L. John Regelbrugge and Kris Regelbrugge during the ten-year remembrance of the Oso landslide on Friday, March 22, 2024, at the Oso Landslide Memorial in Oso, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
‘Flood of emotions’ as Oso Landslide Memorial opens on 10th anniversary

Friends, family and first responders held a moment of silence at 10:37 a.m. at the new 2-acre memorial off Highway 530.

Julie Petersen poses for a photo with images of her sister Christina Jefferds and Jefferds’ grand daughter Sanoah Violet Huestis next to a memorial for Sanoah at her home on March 20, 2024 in Arlington, Washington. Peterson wears her sister’s favorite color and one of her bangles. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
‘It just all came down’: An oral history of the Oso mudslide

Ten years later, The Daily Herald spoke with dozens of people — first responders, family, survivors — touched by the deadliest slide in U.S. history.

Victims of the Oso mudslide on March 22, 2014. (Courtesy photos)
Remembering the 43 lives lost in the Oso mudslide

The slide wiped out a neighborhood along Highway 530 in 2014. “Even though you feel like you’re alone in your grief, you’re really not.”

Director Lucia Schmit, right, and Deputy Director Dara Salmon inside the Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management on Friday, March 8, 2024, in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
How Oso slide changed local emergency response ‘on virtually every level’

“In a decade, we have just really, really advanced,” through hard-earned lessons applied to the pandemic, floods and opioids.

Ron and Gail Thompson at their home on Monday, March 4, 2024 in Oso, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
In shadow of scarred Oso hillside, mudslide’s wounds still feel fresh

Locals reflected on living with grief and finding meaning in the wake of a catastrophe “nothing like you can ever imagine” in 2014.

Everett mall renderings from Brixton Capital. (Photo provided by the City of Everett)
Topgolf at the Everett Mall? Mayor’s hint still unconfirmed

After Cassie Franklin’s annual address, rumors circled about what “top” entertainment tenant could be landing at Everett Mall.

Everett
Everett man sentenced to 3 years of probation for mutilating animals

In 2022, neighbors reported Blayne Perez, 35, was shooting and torturing wildlife in north Everett.

Dorothy Crossman rides up on her bike to turn in her ballot  on Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2023 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Everett leaders plan to ask voters for property tax increase

City officials will spend weeks hammering out details of a ballot measure, as Everett faces a $12.6 million deficit.

Starbucks employee Zach Gabelein outside of the Mill Creek location where he works on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024 in Mill Creek, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Mill Creek Starbucks votes 21-1 to form union

“We obviously are kind of on the high of that win,” store bargaining delegate Zach Gabelein said.

Lynnwood police respond to a collision on highway 99 at 176 street SW. (Photo provided by Lynnwood Police)
Police: Teen in stolen car flees cops, causes crash in Lynnwood

The crash blocked traffic for over an hour at 176th Street SW. The boy, 16, was arrested on felony warrants.

The view of Mountain Loop Mine out the window of a second floor classroom at Fairmount Elementary on Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
County: Everett mining yard violated order to halt work next to school

At least 10 reports accused OMA Construction of violating a stop-work order next to Fairmount Elementary. A judge will hear the case.

Imagine Children's Museum's incoming CEO, Elizabeth "Elee" Wood. (Photo provided by Imagine Children's Museum)
Imagine Children’s Museum in Everett to welcome new CEO

Nancy Johnson, who has led Imagine Children’s Museum in Everett for 25 years, will retire in June.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.