Marco Rubio considered most acceptable GOP candidate of 2016 field in new poll

News polls show that two Republican candidates are topping the field. According to a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll released on May 4, 2015 former Florida Governor Jeb Bush may be in the lead, with Florida Senator Marco Rubio is close behind nationally. Rubio who declared his candidacy on April 13, however, is the "most widely acceptable Republican" candidate in the field being the top or second choice to the majority of potential GOP voters.

According to the new WSJ/NBC news poll Bush leads as the "first pick" of primary voters with 23 percent support, followed in second by Rubio with 18 percent. Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker was third with 14 percent. Meanwhile there was a tie for fourth place between declared candidates Texas Senator Ted Cruz and Kentucky Senator Rand Paul with 11 percent. Rounding out the top five was newly declared candidate retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson with 7 percent; Carson just declared his candidacy on Monday, May 4.

Another newly minted GOP candidate former Arkansas Governor, 2008 candidate and Iowa caucus winner Mike Huckabee tied with New Jersey Governor Chris Christie with five percent; Huckabee just announced his candidacy with a fiery speech on Tuesday, May 5. The rest of the candidates polling were former Texas Governor Rick Perry with two percent and another newly declared candidate former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina, who announced her candidacy on ABC News Good Morning America on Monday, May 4.

The new WSJ/NBC news poll determined that despite Rubio's second place finish if the primaries were held today, he is the most acceptable candidate for Republicans voters. Only 15 percent would not vote Rubio, the number is double at 30 percent for Bush and 39 percent for Walker. When combining the percentages of GOP voters first and second picks, Rubio tops the field with 41 percent, Bush second with 37 percent and Walker third at 27 percent.

Rubio is also the "most acceptable" among GOP voter subfields including those "who voted for Mitt Romney in the 2012 primary, tea party supporters, so-called "values" voters, and Republicans who regularly listen to conservative talk radio." According to the WSJ, "Democratic pollster Fred Yang, who conducts the survey with Republican Bill McInturff," "Sen. Rubio has the greatest reach with these important constituencies." Although the first primary will be in nine months, the poll numbers are still good news for Rubio in his quest to become the GOP 2016 nominee.

Bonnie K. Goodman is the Editor of the Academic Buzz Network, a series of political, academic & education blogs which includes History Musings: History, News & Politics. She has a BA in History & Art History & a Masters in Library and Information Studies, both from McGill University, and has done graduate work in Jewish history at Concordia University as part of the MA in Judaic Studies program. She covers US, Canadian & Israeli politics, with a particular focus on the Obama presidency, Congress, domestic policy, and elections.