Reader Poll: Which “Outsider” Political Candidate Would You Vote For?
They’re in the inner circle now!
When we kicked off this election cycle, many pundits (including myself) asserted that it would be the “foreign policy election” we’ve all been waiting for. Our prediction has played out, but with a twist: Americans want to know what the candidates think about ISIS, asylum, and the military, but we’re increasingly interested in what the political “outsiders” have to say about them.
In fact, we’re interested in what they have to say about everything. Whether it’s because we crave a fresh perspective, the novelty of the moment, or merely to watch them eventually stumble, the polls show that when Donald Trump, Ben Carson, and Carly Fiorina—the top 3 outsiders currently charming their way into the inner circle—speak, Americans like what they’re hearing.
It’s not exactly shocking; disenchantment with Beltway politics and political insidership has spread beyond the conservative base and into the broader demographic of primary voters. It’s not a matter of those candidates who have more political experience being bad—although you’re free to disagree with me about one particular candidate or another—it’s just that a candidate who comes from somewhere other than the Beltway seems so much more appealing. Even tea party favorites like Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio (although Rubio’s poll numbers have increased dramatically since the last debate) haven’t quite cracked through the wall separating those with an official connection to Washington politics from those who offer a different perspective.
Trump, Carson, and Fiorina are outsiders together, but that’s where the comparisons should end. All three have displayed an impressive ability to connect with voters at an unprecedented level, and all three have developed a discrete way of doing it. Trump, with his bombast; Carson, with his quiet dignity; Fiorina, with her ability to shut down the opposition with a heaping spoonful of honey.
Between the three of them, they have the spectrum covered—and now many are saying (hoping? Take it to the comments) that one of them will end up at the top of the ticket next year.
Never say never, I say.
They may not be your favorites. They may not even be on your radar; but if you had to choose one of these outsiders to lead the charge in 2016, who would it be?
Poll closes Thursday at midnight PST
Featured Image via CS Monitor
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Comments
The fact that 20 anonymous Anita Hills have not yet accused Carson of molesting them as children means the Dems do not consider him a serious candidate.
If / When he becomes a serious candidate, the anonymous accusers will line up behind the duck blind.
In other news, the sun rises every morning.
A lot of campaigns are already getting Carly stuff ready as well (including Hillary). Unfortunately, you’ve got to give Trump the advantage here. He really doesn’t hide much, so any sort of “inside scoop” just doesn’t seem to be there. Especially if what you’re saying about Carson is true.
Maybe you forget what they tried to do to him after his speech about Obamacare in front of Obama?
They don’t have anything. And he played the Breitbart card by already admitting his problems as a youth in his book.
Heh. There’s a boatload of dirt on Trump. It’s out there if you care look for it. Others have. It will probably be released when it’s most damaging. Let that day hurry itself along. I already run from the sight or sound of him, just as I do obastard. They are cut from the same cloth. People who support him are suckers.
I like this comment I saw over at a PowerLine post:
“Trump is not a solution, he is a reaction. He is a symptom of the malfeasance of the (GOP).”
He’s also a symptom of the stupidity of American voters and the truth of P.T. Barnum’s (or whomever really said it) maxim: There’s a sucker born every minute.”
Usually they do that when there’s at least one story about something that’s true, as with Herman Cain.
Then they multiply them and make them worse, and the candidate cannot successfully argue it is all false because something or other resembling them is true and will be leaked after the false stories.
Any of the outsiders will get my vote, and I will stay home if a another cuckservative is atop the ticket.
In other words, you’ll vote for someone who’s not especially conservative on every issue as long as that person as an “outsider.” (Fiorina’s understanding of the Islam threat, for one thing, is abysmal.)
But if a “politician” who’s not sufficiently conservative in every way is nominated, you’ll be happy to see a leftist Democrat get the presidency instead.
That is crazy. And it means you’d rather feel pure than do anything to stop the worst option.
And if a Democrat wins because too many people have the same mindset, you’ll probably all be saying, “See, that’s what happens when the GOP nominates a RINO!”
“See, that’s what happens when the GOP nominates a RINO!”
well, given the dizzying successes of both the McLame and the Mittens presidencies, you have a point…
the base gave the GOPe the House in 2010, and the usual suspects rolled over and gave Obola everything he wanted.
then they ran Mittens, who fought just hard enough to get the nomination, then threw the election.
in 2014, we gave the GOPe the House AND the Senate, and they continue to give Obola everything he wants to this day.
now you want us to vote for Jeb! (or some other electable RINO) in 2016, while keeping the House & Senate, so that the GOPe can shove amnesty, the Ex-Im bank and all the other BS they want, down our throats, but we’re to blame if we are tired of being screwed.
yeah, that’s a real winning game plan you have there. i always vote, but i refuse to vote for the lesser of two evils: if you’re being raped, who’s doing it is immaterial. you’re still being violated.
I guarantee you this. IF Carson gains momentum, they will find someone, somewhere, that will accuse him of past sexual stuff…. just as they did with 999 Cain. Outta nowhere…. allegation made… Cain loses support and drops out… woman never has to prove jack shit. Mission accomplished.
They’ll likewise find some former HP employees that will throw dirt on Carly if she gains traction. Just watch.
Finding HP emoyees to talk bad about Carly won’t be hard there are probably 100,000 of them.
Why is it when Trump says “your fired” on reality TV he’s cheered as a tough guy, but when Carly did it for real some of the same people boo?
I don’t care that she fired people. Everyone who has ever been any kind of boss does that, and IT is particularly brutal (I was in it for a long time). I care that she has zero principles when it comes to things like Islam, the greatest existential threat of our time.
Maybe it was the way she treated people before she fired them. Maybe it was how she fired HP managers and replaced them with Compaq managers b ecause she wanted suck ups and not people with a history of loyalty to HP. Maybe it was the way she fired people as cost savings while tripling her iwn salary and having the company buy her a yacht and a plane. She was so disagreeable when she was fired that the board vote was unanimous. Nobody supported her retention. Maybe all of the above is confirmed by fact that no company has offered to hire her as a top executive in last 10 years since her firing.
Or it wasn’t any of the above she was just picked on because she has a vagina.
One of the above choices is nonsensical.
Fiorina is the only Amnesty shill of the three; she’s not really an outsider. She’s been a politician since at least 2010, i.e. her race with Boxer. She’s been a political insider heading up a fund raising initiative for the RNC and being a key staffer for the McCain Campaign in 2008.
Not that she hasn’t done some great things. She was a vocal defender of Sarah Palin, and her slam on Planned Parenthood in the last debate was superbly delivered. She can be top drawer in interviews and speeches and has an impressive conservative streak considering she’s from a very blue state.
But she’s being christened as the Establishment’s Kill the Trump. How is it she is also being classified as an outsider?
You keep chanting that crap about “amnesty” and Fiorina, yet she’s been expressly ANTI-amnesty always. She was…and still is…pro “Dream Act” in some permutation and has always been very clear about it.
Now, you tell us what T-rump means…in detail…by “touch back” amnesty.
(I doubt you can, but you should try.)
Within TWO WEEKS after 9/11, Fiorina gave a speech, and discussed how we should not blame islam and we should protect muslims from blowback.
She also is a user of political correctness. Her face? Lady, it’s politics, deal with it.
I’m female; I’ve no use for her female angle on things. It’s a put-on.
Right after 9-11 most people didn’t blame islam for the attacks, just some radical believers. She was no different than thousands of Americans including our political class. That was 14 years ago. Since then I’ve read the koran three times. I’m on my fourth reading, but I doubt I will finish it again. I know all I need to know about islam. You need to listen what Fiorina thinks about radical islam today.
For many people, 9/11 prompted serious thought about the signs of an Islamic propensity for oppression and violence that could already be seen in history and in the modern world. Fiorina instead recited a highly sanitized and glorified view of Islamic history.
Now she has criticized Carson’s reasonable wariness of a Muslim president, and she made a ridiculous statement that ANY religion makes someone a better leader because “religion teachers humility.”
But Islam teaches Muslims that they are “the best of peoples” and that every non-Muslim is inferior. It teaches Muslims that they have a right to force Islamic rules upon infidels and take advantage of anything that infidels have.
Whatever Fiorina says about “radical Islam,” she fails to understand that the trouble with Islam is at the heart of Islam, in ts foundational ideology of conquest and domination, and its totalitarian suppression of criticism.
EXACTLY.
Wrong again Rags.
In February 2013, when the Gang of 8 released the worst comprehensive amnesty bill of our time, Carly was one of its biggest cheerleaders on the Sunday shows. Appearing on Meet the Press, she said “I applaud and salute the Gang of Eight`s proposal. Let`s move forward and vote on that.” She appeared on This Week on February 3 praising the bill as a “carefully crafted” balance and a “good first step,” while expressing hope that the Democrats would not oppose it.
https://www.conservativereview.com/Commentary/2015/08/Does-Carly-Have-the-Record-to-Throw-These-Punches
It was Einstein spoke of asking about “Touchback Amnesty” over and over again and expecting different results.
lol
You dismiss “that crap about amnesty”, then turn around and admit Fiorina is in favor of the Dream Act. We could ask House Majority Leader Eric Cantor if that isn’t Amnesty but he no longer answers that phone. We could ask Rick Perry about his support for the Texas Dream Act but…
garybritt and I (and perhaps others) have both pointed out and linked to Fiorina’s vocal support for the infamous Gang of Eight Senate Amnesty Bill S.744. Her support for this is a fact, not an opinion.
But every time it is brought up you try to change the subject. Every pro-illegal alien group, organization, and individual has angrily and aggressively attacked Trump for being too hard nosed on illegal immigration, yet you are trying to sell some delusion through the New York Times that they love Trump’s plan.
By all means enjoy expressing your own opinion. But consider not melting own because others don’t want to join your personal snipe hunt.
“Amnesty” is like “comprehensive immigration reform”. You have to get people to define what you mean to have an intelligent discussion about it.
“Amnesty” as I use the term…the kind that threatens our society…is a mass “grace” extended broadly to illegal aliens which would lead to citizenship.
Between that disastrous notion and “Dreamers” there are a lot of variations that very conservative people consider. Look up the recent Trifecta by Steve Green and the guys (with which I strongly disagree, BTW).
WRT “Dreamers”, how many people would that entail? How would that threaten American society (they’re here now)? On what criteria could they earn citizenship (i.e., military service)?
T-rump DOES have an “amnesty” plan. You can’t speak to it because you won’t acknowledge that he does. He’s clearly alluded to it, but you wanna go “la-la-la-la” and hide your head in the sand. I find that typical of your kind of “thinking”.
Finally you admit you’re all for Amnesty for Illegal Aliens just like Cantor and Fiorina. All for telling the world we will make their children full, voting citizens if they just bring them here illegally.
And you cluelessly imply it’s not many people and doesn’t threaten our country, as if its not a major incentive for future illegal immigration and chain immigration by justifying citizenship for others in the family.
No wonder you hate Trump so much. You may win, but Americans opposed to this invasion won’t go down without a fight.
That’s a pack of lies, and you’re a liar.
With the results above it won’t be long before thin skinned Trump and his thin skinned followers will be calling Carson and Carly names usually reserved for the Dems. It reminds me of the grammar school days when two little boys would start to call each other names and then others would chime in. I haven’t seen anything like it in many years!
OMG will he call them “dumb-dumb” like Walker’s prize donor did to Trump? Or will he say things like “Let’s get a pull-up bar out there and let’s see who can do the most pull-ups” like Rick Perry did to Trump. Or maybe call them a “carnival act”, or “a madman” like Bobby Jindal called Trump. Or a “jackass” like Graham called Trump.
You think Trump will sink to that level? It certainly wouldn’t be unprecedented.
I guess I was a premature Trump follower. Funny since I’m not even one now. Unless, by Trump follower you mean someone who might vote for him, even though he is not my first choice.
I was calling Carly names fifteen years ago, especially when I saw her name in a trade rag. Things like, demented, deluded and incompetent.
What a stupid poll.
While the idea of an ‘outsider’ has some appeal, the simple, inexorable fact is that none of these ‘candidates’ has ever been elected to anything, and the presidency is not a jobs training program. Obama has proved that.
It gives one visibility of the paradigm shift going on here abouts. Saw it. Right off.
The real outsider, and with the real outsider track record to prove it, is Ted Cruz, in my considered opinion.
I agree, 100%.
Excellent point. He stood up to and continues to stand up to the Establishment McConnell and his Gang of RINOs, and has taken vitriolic flack repeatedly from party insiders.
Hello, Legal Insurrection… ring ring
How can you leave Cruz out as an outsider and try to sneak in Fiorina?
TILT/
Remember this Branco cartoon???
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BVFvnvICEAAPmE4.jpg
Two of your fellow Trumepteers have already called “foul” on listing Carly as an outsider, because even though she’s never held public office, she ran for the Senate once.
Given that, I’m not sure how you could call a sitting United States Senator an outsider, with any rhetorical or intellectual consistency anyway.
A most reasonable but not definitively convincing point.
Here there be gray areas
Amy?
Obviously, your opinion of what “outsider” means is not the same as others’ opinions.
There is the DC Outsider
Then there is the Politics Outsider
Then there is the Establishment Outsider
Cruz is an Establishment Outsider.
Carly is a Politics Outsider and no, running for office does not count as far as political accomplishments go. Carly has none of those.
Your little flailing games are amusing.
vs.
I’ll leave you Trumpeteers to sort out your talking points while I go take my dog for a swim 😀
I’ll not get betwixt two internet warriors with naught but a diaphanous shield of wit to protect me.
Why don’t we clarify what we think being an outsider — or not an outsider – means? Is the definition determined by the position one holds at the moment? Is it possible for a sitting United States senator to be an outside and for a former corporate CEO without a current or even former political position to be an “insider”?
I think Fiorina is not an outsider for a number of reasons:
I’ll overlook her affluent, establishment political family. This should not be damning.
In 2006 she worked for John McCain. She was even considered as a possible running mate for him in 2008.
Here’s more on her insider similarities to Jeb on education, amnesty, Islam and climate change.
http://theconservativetreehouse.com/2015/09/23/carly-fiorina-gaslighting-islam-her-relationship-to-clinton-global-initiative-and-progressive-agenda/#more-106445
Where is she getting her money is the big question. I can’t answer this at the moment, but I doubt it is coming from the same people sending money to Carson. And Trump is funding himself.
I would say an outsider is someone who comes to politics with the idea of reforming it into something closer to an everyday ideal of democracy, one not driven and defined by power and powerful interests. Has this been a theme of Fiorina’s campaign?
Cruz is not an insider because he has taken positions inimical to insider leaders’ wishes (insiders don’t do this) and even explicitly confronted and called out these insider leaders in a way that one else has — that no insider would. I think it’s clear that Cruz is interested in reforming the system in a way that would put reduce the monolithic power of the closed loop of interests in Washington and force diffusion and accountability in power and reflect of the interests of citizens and taxpayers not lobbyists and insiders.
Carson is an outsider in every respect — background, temperament (as best as I can tell) and positions. I don’t see how he can possibly be characterized as an insider.
Trump is something of both. But I wouldn’t call him a true outsider.
Not everybody denying Fiorina is an outsider is a “Trumpeteer,” (whatever that means).
You probably think this “Trumpeteer” business cute but it’s juvenile and belittling of people who have deep patriotic concerns, as I’m sure you do, about the country they love.
No, no, no. It’s how the superfans at Trump Central, many of whom are in our midst, choose to self-identify: CLICK.
I’m just respecting their tribal identity. #Caring
Geez, Amy, I clicked. Those have got to be the most gullible, witless, non-thinking, mindless followers I’ve seen since obastard’s first campaign, bleating, “I’m a Trumpeteer!”
I remember doing something similar when I was about 8; gleefully announcing in full voice, “I’m a Mouseketeer!”
Dear God, please spare us from these morons. These people are no different from the butt-licking fools that gave us obastard, another liar and deceiver just like Trump.
No, the presidency isn’t a jobs training program, BUT:
Very few politicians of any stripe have Trump’s experience in negotiating. Negotiating is a skill honed by practice. Trump has plenty of that.
He also is much more likely to appreciate the intricate details of our tax system, the good, the bad and the ugly. Anyone with that net worth had to have good accountants and tax lawyers helping.
Trump is a neophyte in name only. His real disadvantage right now, is he doesn’t find a need to discuss specifics. But based upon his track record of GETTING THINGS DONE, I have no doubt he will.
He’s a doer, not a talker, that is for SURE.
The other thing so helpful about Trump, is any negotiating he will do, you know he will want America to come out on top. You may not agree on how he sees that, but unlike our current negotiators, he won’t be played. Not in his DNA.
Carly Fiorina is decidedly not an outsider.
In any case, here is the California senate debate in which Barbara Boxer, one of the stupidest persons in the senate, cleaned her clock over her corporate performance.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DmG-UJNlFI
Want a repeat?
Fiorina’s father was a Nixon appointed appellate judge.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Tyree_Sneed,_III
You can’t get anymore insider then that.
Oh come on. Her father was a judge. His career has nothing to do with hers. You’re really stretching.
Her father was an appellate federal court judge. To become that someone had to suggest his name get on the list. Other people have to pull him from that list. The WH then vets him. Then they have to guide him through the Senate confirmation process.
If he is not an insider when the process began, he will be one when the process ends.
Carly Fiorina is a blue state republican with no political track record.
I have to believe she will necessarily go as far RINO as she has to to get the high-donor cash she must have to compete for state by state primary votes.
Thus, I expect to see a candidate in evolve mode… away from social issues like abortion towards issues like illegals, jobs, cost of health care, and dealing with military threats from Russia & China and their proxies.
Then there is the IRS, EPA, The VA, The Interior Dept, State Department, the DOJ, Benghazi, and every other instance of crime and corruption in the govt raped by Democrats.
Her positions on several things are to the RIGHT of T-rump’s.
Well, his positions lately.
Over the past few weeks.
That he hasn’t reversed…
Mr. Pierre, I am beginning to think you are not a Trump fan.
🙂
As I said earlier, Carly Fiorina is due for a bashing from competitors. I agree she captured the admiration of other candidates’ supporters, ergo, the reshuffle post-debate.
It puts her on the threat radar, along with Trump, of competing campaigns.
Meanwhile, guess who is suddenly aware of Carly Fiorina today?
Conservative Radio Host Mark Levin: Establishment Media Wants to Take Down Trump, Prop Up Carly (AUDIO)
http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2015/09/conservative-radio-host-mark-levin-establishment-media-wants-to-take-down-trump-prop-up-carly-audio/
Before the real scrutiny begins, Carly Fiorina and the spotlight head to South Carolina
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2015/09/22/before-the-real-scrutiny-begins-carly-fiorina-and-the-spotlight-head-to-south-carolina/
Carson is really the only authentic outsider here.
Gaak, “people” still like Fiorina? I thought LI readers were more informed…. geeze
It’s very telling, how some people hate all Republicans.
Well maybe they haven’t seen a failed CEO make excuses before. They’ve never heard the “I came onto a failing company, I did the best I could but nothing could save it” story before. I also guess that it never occurs to them top ask if the company was in such bad shape, why go there and take the blame in the first place.
Fiorina holds as many leftist positions as Hillary only differs on Abortion which Fiorina’s flipped for this campaign.
Trump is well known for being a liberal progressive with self proclaimed aligns with Democrats on all except for flipping on “immigration” (illegal aliens) for this campaign.
even with the few flips 2 more conservative these two are as liberal progressive as Jeb Bush
https://www.conservativereview.com/2016-Presidential-Candidates
“Fiorina holds as many leftist positions as Hillary only differs on Abortion…”
That happens to be factually false. You should educate yourself at an unbiased source.
FYI to everyone, my official Trump “Make America Great Again” hat came in today. Got it in white with gold lettering so it is good for playing tennis.
http://media.2oceansvibe.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/hattrump.jpg
It must be tough making it down the street with all the attractive women running up and asking for selfies with you and the hat 😉
Oh, YEAH! His “Republicans For Sanders” t-shirt is, like, a babe magnet, too!
True, I had to tell Carly to back off and go back to Hillary when she put the moves on me.
That’s one reason I didn’t get the red one like Mr. Trump himself wears. The resemblance would be too strong. ;-))
http://media.hotair.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/dt4.jpg
Do you have to work at being wrong, or are you a natural?
If we lose on immigration, we lose across the board on every issue for generations.
Trump has the strongest position against illegal immigration.
Ted Cruz isn’t far behind.
Fiorina and Carson support Amnesty. Zero chance I’ll support them in the primary. No Conservative should even consider it.
Rubio and Bush are the worst.
Nice blog but the peanut gallery is full of Amnesty shills.
Odd comment, coming from a peanut.
Ted Cruz gets my outsider vote.
Ted Cruz would get my vote if he would actually DO SOMETHING about McConnell by mounting a serious campaign for Senate Majority Leader.
His presidential campaign is a woeful misuse of his skillset and talents.
NO ONE is better trained, positioned, and able to take out McConnell than Cruz.
And yet Cruz is off running a wild goose chase campaign for president.
Please change gears, Cruz!
Fascinating that the only actual NON-outsider in your poll is winning.
Fiorina is very much a Republican leadership INSIDER. Hired by McCain. Recruited by Romney. Running because of Romney. Currently doing the Republican leadership’s bidding with every statement and appearance.
The outsiders are Trump and Carson.
Maybe next week you could run a poll of those two?
Exactly!
Place is full of snippy RNC types and a few fearless Missionaries for Liberty seeking to bring enlightenment to the lost souls crying out in the wilderness, who are clutching downvotes and prepared to snuff out any heretics opposing Amnesty.
Or why not just Trump?
THIS –> http://poll.fm/5eynd
Is this insider-outsider thing some new litmus test we have to have? We ALL know there are many politician’s who try hard to adhere to their promises and do the best they can given what and whom they have to work with. We know we got played by others. I think it is ridiculous to sanctify somebody because they’ve never held a DC post or to vilify them if they have.
Look at people’s records, be it private sector or government That’s it; game, set, match. Nothing else tells their story better.
“We ALL know there are many politician’s who try hard to adhere to their promises”
LOL, you trying out for LI comedian?