CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A MetroNews West Virginia Poll shows Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Bernie Sanders with significant leads among likely presidential primary voters in the state.
The survey by REPASS Research has Trump with 40 percent compared with 20 percent for his nearest rival, Texas Senator Ted Cruz. On the Democrat side, Sanders leads Hillary Clinton by nearly two-to-one, 57 percent to 29 percent.
You can read the complete poll here.
The survey was conducted between February 11-16, before the South Carolina Republican primary and the Nevada Democratic caucus. Trump won the South Carolina primary while Clinton was victorious in then Nevada caucus.
Rex Repass, CEO of REPASS Research and director of the MetroNews West Virginia Poll, said Trump’s strength in the Mountain State is highest among voters 35-44 years old, independents, and those in middle-income categories.
“The economy and frustration with the status quo in Washington is helping these non-traditional candidates nationally and in West Virginia,” Repass said.
Sanders’ biggest strength is with young people. However, he has majority support in all age categories except seniors. Among voters 65 and older, Sanders’ lead is 43 percent to 36 percent.
On the GOP side, after Cruz, Florida Senator Marco Rubio is at 15 percent, Ben Carson at ten percent, Ohio Governor John Kasich at six percent and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush at four percent. Bush withdrew from the race Saturday night after a disappointing fourth place finish in South Carolina.
West Virginia’s primary is May 10.
The MetroNews West Virginia Poll is a result of interviews with 411 registered likely voters in the state using landline phone, cell phone and opt-in internet panels. It has a margin of error of +/- 4.9 percent. The non-partisan West Virginia Poll has been conducted periodically since 1980. MetroNews is the media sponsor.