Colbert Outpolls Republicans with Young ‘Voters’

Comedian Stephen Colbert is doing quite well in the latest Rasmussen poll.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that Colbert is preferred by 13% of voters as an independent candidate challenging Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Rudy Giuliani. The survey was conducted shortly after Colbert’s surprise announcement that he is lusting for the Oval Office. The result is similar when Fred Thompson is the Republican in the three-way race. With Thompson as the GOP candidate, Colbert earns 12% of the vote.

Interesting if silly; after all, Colbert isn’t running as an independent and he wouldn’t actually get nearly that many votes in a real election. Not only would many of these people not vote, period, but those who do almost invariably wind up making a choice between the major party candidates.

More enlightening, perhaps:

Colbert does particularly well with the younger voters most likely to be watching his show and therefore most aware of his myriad presidential-like qualities. In the match-up with Giuliani and Clinton, Colbert draws 28% of likely voters aged 18-29. He draws 31% of that cohort when his foes are Thompson and Clinton. In both match-ups, Colbert has more support with young voters than the GOP candidate.

The crosstabs are available only to premium members and no comparable figure for the Democrats is included in the summary. But, clearly, the under 30 crowd prefers comedians to Republicans.

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James Joyner
About James Joyner
James Joyner is Professor and Department Head of Security Studies at Marine Corps University's Command and Staff College. He's a former Army officer and Desert Storm veteran. Views expressed here are his own. Follow James on Twitter @DrJJoyner.

Comments

  1. Steve Plunk says:

    Why are they even including his name in the poll? Was Pat Paulson included in the polls of old? And while we’re at it why do they continue to poll a group that seldom votes?

    I would rather not get any news concerning the presidential race until it’s of some importance. This kind of polling is not news it’s Rasmussen trying to get headlines for themselves. Pathetic.

  2. To mangle a British quip: The Republicans are the “Stupid Party” not the funny party. No wonder the kiddies like Colbert better.