Among the most well-known Republican candidates, just three can boast a net positive rating — but barely: Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.
Paul gets a positive rating from 26 percent of poll respondents, versus 23 percent who said they view him negatively. Twenty-one percent view Rubio positively, versus 19 percent who disagree. And Huckabee, a former presidential candidate himself, won good ratings from a quarter of Americans and poor marks from 24 percent.
Democrat Hillary Clinton, the most well-known possible candidate of all at 100 percent name ID, also has an overall positive rating by a similarly slim margin. Forty-three percent of respondents view her in a positive light, versus four-in-ten who say they view her negatively. (Her negatives among Republicans: a whopping 81 percent poor rating – nearly as bad as President Barack Obama’s.)
Other big-name potential contenders have more foes than fans.
More Americans have a negative view than a positive one of outspoken Texas Sen. Ted Cruz (16 percent positive / 26 percent negative), Texas Gov. Rick Perry (20 percent positive / 29 percent negative), and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (26 percent positive / 33 percent negative). The same goes for possible Clinton rival Vice President Joe Biden (35 percent positive / 38 percent positive).
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, viewed as one possible favorite of the GOP establishment, has recovered slightly from underwater ratings earlier this year, after a scandal involving lane closures on the George Washington Bridge threatened to derail his presidential ambitions. In January, 29 percent viewed him negatively and just 22 percent viewed him positively; he’s now pulled even, 29 percent to 29 percent.
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