CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Likely voters in the November General Election in West Virginia still strongly support Republican Donald Trump in the race for president, according to the latest MetroNews West Virginia Poll released Thursday morning by Repass Research.
Forty-nine percent of those questioned said they support Trump followed by Hillary Clinton (31 percent), Libertarian Gary Johnson (10 percent) and Green Party nominee Jill Stein (4 percent). Only six percent of those polled said they weren’t sure who to vote for.
“Donald Trump continues to dominate the presidential race in West Virginia, as he did during the primary season,” Rex Repass, CEO of Repass Research and director of the MetroNews West Virginia Poll said. “There is enthusiasm for the Republican nominee, but Libertarian Gary Johnson is also gaining some support.”
Jobs are on the minds of state residents, Repass said.
“Nearly nine-in-10 West Virginians are worried about the national economy (57 percent “very worried” and 31 percent “somewhat worried”), and Republicans in the state are enthusiastic about their presidential nominee,” Repass added.
In addition to his support among Republicans (eight-in-10 said they would vote for Trump if the election were held today), Trump’s support among independents is 53 percent and 27 percent among Democrats.
Not surprisingly, President Barack Obama has a 60 percent disapproval rating among those polled with only 28 percent approving of the job the second term Obama is doing. Fellow Democrat Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin favors better with voters. Tomblin has a 53 percent approval rating. More than a fourth of those polled (26 percent) said they weren’t sure how U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito is doing in her first term. She has a 47 percent approval rating while 27 percent disapprove. Those polled are more opinionated about Senator Joe Manchin. He has a 50 percent approval rating, 31 percent disapprove with 19 percent of those polled not sure.
Those polled narrowly want a Republican-controlled Congress to remain in office. Forty-one percent favor a GOP Congress with 39 percent hoping the Democrats retake control.
The poll also shows a majority of Democrats polled described themselves as either frustrated, angry or afraid of the Republican Party. The same frustration was registered by Republicans with Democrats.
All of those polled said they were registered to vote and plan to vote in November. Forty-eight percent of them Democrats and 30 percent Republican.
Interviews for the MetroNews West Virginia Poll were conducted between Aug. 9-28 with a sample of 386 and 435 registered, likely voters in the Mountain State. The margin of error is +/- 4.7.
The MetroNews West Virginia Poll will look at the gubernatorial race Friday.