June 6, 2016

Poll: Gary Johnson at 11% vs Clinton, Trump

Andy Lyman

Gary Johnson speaking to a supporter

Another poll has Gary Johnson in double digits in a matchup against Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. As with other polls, he is still far behind Clinton and Trump, with Clinton leading the way.

Gary Johnson speaking to a supporter

Andy Lyman

Gary Johnson speaking to a supporter

An Investor’s Business Daily/TIPP Poll found when the former New Mexico governor’s name is included, he receives 11 percent. Clinton leads Trump 39 percent to 35 percent.

In writing about the poll, IBD called Johnson’s 11 percent “surprisingly large.”

Without Johnson, Clinton leads Trump 45 percent to 40 percent.

Clinton is the likely Democratic nominee while Trump is the presumptive Republican nominee. Gary Johnson won the Libertarian Party nomination last weekend at the Libertarian National Convention.

The IBD/TIPP poll did not look at likely or even registered voters, instead polling “908 Americans.”

The IBD/TIPP poll isn’t very far off from a Rasmussen Reports poll, at least when it comes to Johnson. Rasmussen found that when Johnson’s name was included, Clinton led 39 percent to 38 percent over Trump, with Johnson getting 8 percent.

Many other polls, such as the most recent Ipsos/Reuters poll have not included Johnson’s name. That Ipsos/Reuters poll found that 13 percent of voters would prefer “Neither/Other” to Clinton or Trump.

Those who wish to be on the stage for nationally-televised presidential debates this fall must reach 15 percent in selected national polling. Johnson filed a lawsuit against the Commission on Presidential Debates over the threshold.

Still, Johnson and other third-party candidates face severe headwinds when it comes to turning support in polls into votes. An Economist/YouGov poll found “Most Americans have never heard of Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson, and very few believe he can capture the White House this fall.”

Just 12 percent said they might consider voting for a Libertarian Party candidate and 55 percent said they had not heard of Johnson.

The Economist/YouGov poll did not include Johnson in horse-race polling against Clinton and Trump.

The IBD/TIPP poll has a margin of error of +/- 3.3 percentage points. The pollster surveyed cell phones as well as landlines between May 31 and June 5.

The Ipsos/Reuters poll surveyed 1,332 registered voters between May 28 and June 1. The poll was conducted via the internet and has a +/-2.8 percentage point margin of error.

The Rasmussen Reports poll surveyed 1,000 likely voters on May 31 and June 1. The poll has a +/- 3 percentage point margin of error.

The Economist/YouGov poll surveyed 2,000 American adults on June 2 and June 3. The poll has a +/- 3.2 percentage point margin of error.

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