Whit Ayres’ comments in The Los Angeles Times about former President Trump’s support in the Republican primary:
“Trump is obviously the favorite, but he’s beatable,” Republican strategist Alex Conant said. “He’s beatable because the race isn’t static. The poll numbers today are not what they will be six months from now.”
GOP pollster Whit Ayres agreed and pointed to evidence that primary voters are open to other candidates.
In focus groups, he said, he’s encountered “people who voted for Trump, who like what he did as president, but they don’t think Trump can win this time. … They want somebody who has a different temperament.”
Ayres estimates that roughly a third of Republicans are unshakable “Always Trump” loyalists.
But a larger chunk of the GOP electorate, about 60%, consists of people who voted for Trump in 2016 or 2020 but are willing to consider alternatives — a group he calls “Maybe Trump.”
They’re a potential majority in Republican primaries, and that makes them the key to the nomination.
Polls suggest Ayres is right.
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