This has been such a crazy presidential election that something that occurred in early October almost seems unimportant today.
And this week’s scandal is all about new Hillary Clinton-related emails found (of all places) on the laptop of accused sex predator Anthony Weiner, soon to be the ex-husband of a top Clinton aide.
In any case, a new poll for UtahPolicy by Dan Jones & Associates finds that the sexist tape by Clinton’s GOP opponent, Donald Trump, still reverberates among Utah voters – making him even less appealing.
Jones finds:
- 45 percent of Utahns say hearing the sexist tape, where Trump derides women and says his fame and fortune allows him to kiss them, even grab their genitals, makes them “much” or “somewhat” less likely to vote for him this year.
- 47 percent said the tapes release “made no difference” in their presidential voting preference (it’s assumed some of these folks were never going to vote for Trump, so the tape didn’t affect their decision).
- 6 percent said the tape made it more likely they would vote for Trump (like to know who these people are!?).
- And 1 percent didn’t know.
As one might expect, Utah women were affected by the Trump tape more than men.
Of those who said they were much more likely NOT to vote for Trump because of the sexist tape, 26 percent were men, and 34 percent were women.
As previously reported, the same poll found that Trump leads independent presidential candidate Evan McMullin by one percentage point in Utah (actually putting in play for the GOP nominee) and Clinton finishes third here.
Jones finds that Utah Republicans were less likely to be affected by the tape than were Democrats and political independents:
- 40 percent of Republicans said they were more likely to oppose Trump because of the tape.
- 58 percent of Democrats said so.
- And 49 percent of political independents agreed.
Finally, Trump has had considerable problems appealing to Mormons this year.
There are any number of reasons for this.
But Trump’s questionable moral characteristics – three times married, many affairs which he has admitted to, and now the sexist tape – are likely part of the reasons.
And Jones finds that among “very active” Utah Mormons – pay tithing and have temple recommends – the tape is not well received:
- 47 percent of “very active” Mormons said they are less likely to vote for Trump because of the tape.
- 46 percent said it makes not difference to them.
- 6 percent said they are more likely.
- And 1 percent didn’t know.
Jones polled 818 likely voters from Oct. 12-20. The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.43 percent.
