More than ever, Americans trust Republicans over Democrats to better protect the nation from international terrorism, a new
Gallup poll released Thursday shows.
The survey — which found 55 percent of voters prefer the GOP on security issues, while just 32 percent chose Democrats — widens the historic edge the Republicans have held when it comes to protection against international terrorism and military threats, Gallup's Frank Newport says.
The 23-point edge is he biggest in a 12-year trend, he notes.
"Republicans have held a perceptual edge on this question in all but two of the 12 years that it has been asked — 2007 and 2012," Newport says. "The GOP's edge has been significant in many of the other years, although the 19 percentage-point gap measured in 2002, which was previously the largest, is eclipsed by this year's 23-point Republican edge."
The poll, taken before President Barack Obama delivered a speech to the nation Wednesday night outlining his new strategy for defeating the Islamic State (ISIS) militants is "likely related" to the increasing news coverage of the jihadists and their
beheading of two American journalists, Newport says.
Not only do Americans think Republicans do a better job in matters of security, they also give the GOP the edge, 49-40, as being better at keeping the nation prosperous — similar to poll findings on the issue in 2010 and 2011, Newport reports.
"[T]he Republican Party's strength this year does not bode well for Democratic chances to outperform already low expectations," Newport notes about what the survey findings mean for the midterm elections, adding that events in the coming weeks could affect the dynamics.
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