DR. BEN IS IN – AT 10:35 A.M. ET: With all the Trump talk, let's not forget the steady, quiet rise of Dr. Ben Carson in the Republican presidential sweeps. People simply like him and respect him, although he's been correctly criticized for not being thoroughly prepared on some issues. Personal qualities can overcome a great deal. From Bloomberg:
Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson has emerged as a leading Republican presidential candidate in Iowa and is closing in on frontrunner Donald Trump in the state that hosts the first 2016 nomination balloting contest.
The latest Bloomberg Politics/Des Moines Register Iowa Poll shows billionaire Trump with the support of 23 percent of likely Republican caucus participants, followed by Carson at 18 percent. When first and second choices are combined, Carson is tied with Trump.
Trump finds himself in a vastly better position than when the previous Iowa Poll was taken. He has become a credible presidential candidate to many likely Republican caucus-goers. The real estate mogul is rated favorably by 61 percent and unfavorably by 35 percent, an almost complete reversal since the Iowa Poll in May. He finds his highest ratings among those planning to attend the caucuses for the first time (69 percent) and limited-government Tea Party activists (73 percent). Just 29 percent say they could never vote for him, a number cut in half since May.
Although he isn't generating the headlines enjoyed by Trump, Carson has quietly built a dedicated network of supporters in Iowa. During the past month, he also aired more ads than any other presidential candidate in Iowa. Carson has the highest favorability rating among Republican candidates, with 79 percent of likely GOP caucus-goers seeing him positively.
COMMENT: Remember that we have almost a year to go before the conventions. That's about 20 lifetimes in politics. The Republican field may look entirely different next summer. The Democratic field may not because, let's face it, they haven't got many candidates on the presidential level. Harry Truman is unavailable.
Don't underestimate Dr. Carson. He gets constantly better on the stump. If he can't take the top spot, he could turn out as a favorite for vice president.
August 30, 2015 |