Poll: GOPers deeply unhappy with W.H. candidates

Less than half of Republicans are satisfied with their party's field of potential presidential candidates, according to a new Washington Post/ABC News poll.

Just 43 percent said they were content with the GOP lineup, while 40 percent of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents said they weren't satisfied with their choices.


Mitt Romney, with 16 percent of the vote, was the only potential Republican challenger to register double-digit support when respondents were asked who they would vote for in a primary or caucus. Donald Trump came in second with 8 percent, followed by Mike Huckabee with 6 percent.

But 12 percent of those surveyed said none of the choices they were presented with would get their vote and 33 percent expressed no opinion on the GOP field.

In hypothetical matchups, President Barack Obama edges past all seven of the potential Republican rivals tested in the poll.

Romney runs closest with Obama, taking 45 percent of the vote to Obama's 49 percent. Huckabee comes in second, with 44 percent of the vote to Obama's 50 percent.

Obama fares best against Sarah Palin, taking 55 percent of the vote to Palin's 38 percent.

The poll also tests matchups between Obama and Newt Gingrich and Tim Pawlenty. Obama leads both the former House Speaker and former Minnesota governor by 15-point margins.

Donald Trump and Michele Bachmann each trail Obama by 12 points, according to the poll.

The poll, which surveyed 1,001 adults and was conducted April 14-17, has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.

This article tagged under: 2012