Poll Finds Most Americans Can't Name a GOP Presidential Candidate

Most recent polls suggest that there's no clear frontrunner in the race for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination.

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Story Created: Apr 20, 2011 at 2:06 PM AKDT

Story Updated: Apr 20, 2011 at 2:06 PM AKDT

Most recent polls suggest that there's no clear frontrunner in the race for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination. A new poll suggests that may have something to do with the fact that most people can't even name any of the candidates.

 

About half of all Americans -- 53 percent -- could not name anyone when asked which Republican candidate they've been hearing the most about, according to a new survey from the Pew Research Center.

 

The lack of knowledge about the several potential Republican candidates could account for Donald Trump's recent rise in the polls. The business magnate and television personality already benefited from widespread name recognition, and in recent weeks he has dominated news headlines with his presidential flirtation.

 

Twenty-six percent of Americans surveyed by Pew named Trump as the candidate they've heard the most about lately -- a larger portion than those who named Mitt Romney, Sarah Palin, Mike Huckabee, Newt Gingrich and Tim Pawlenty combined.

 

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jenellYB said on Saturday, May 21 at 9:43 AM

The definite reluctance of any potential GOP candidate to actually make a public declaration of candidacy is interesting, possible revealing...for all the loud GOP and Tea Party bluster, can it be that no body wants to be the GOP "sacrificial token candidate" that goes down in flames against Obama? That any of those with any real smarts that are serious about the presidency figure to play it safe by not running until 2016, when they actually have a chance of winning?

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Concerned said on Wednesday, Apr 20 at 2:52 PM

He is probably smart enough to turn a deaf ear to whatever Palin has to say. A rich/wealthy person in office, good by middle-class.

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springer said on Wednesday, Apr 20 at 2:49 PM

Gee.....I wonder if that is because no one has offically declared their candidacy....establishing exploratory committies does not constitute a declaration of candidacy

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