Don't throw away your old political buttons and bumper stickers. The 2016 presidential contest is shaping up as a war of dynastic ambitions, with familiar names resurfacing.
Former Gov. Jeb Bush, R-Fla., is one of the leading candidates for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016, but matches up poorly against former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the heavy favorite to win the Democratic nomination, according to a new poll.
The Washington Post/ABC News poll reveals Clinton leads Bush 53 percent to 41 percent at the national level. In 1992, then-Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton, the husband of Hillary Clinton, defeated President George H.W. Bush, father of the former Florida governor and former President George W. Bush, in the presidential election.
The poll finds 66 percent of those surveyed have a favorable view of the Clinton family, while 31 percent see them as unfavorable. A majority, 54 percent, see the Bush family in a favorable light, while 43 percent view them as unfavorable.
Bush ties with another scion of a political dynasty -- U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky. -- to lead the field of Republican presidential candidates with 14 percent each. Right on their heels is former Gov. Mike Huckabee, R-Ark., with 13 percent. U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., takes fourth with 11 percent while Gov. Chris Christie, R-N.J., is right behind him with 10 percent.
U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., stands in sixth with 7 percent followed by two Texans -- U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and Gov. Rick Perry -- who are knotted together with 6 percent each. Gov. Scott Walker, R-Wis., garners 5 percent.
Two sitting governors who used to serve in Congress lag behind the other candidates. Gov. John Kasich, R-Ohio, who made a brief stab at the Republican presidential nomination back in 2000 before falling in line behind George W. Bush, takes 2 percent. Gov. Bobby Jindal, R-La., trails with 1 percent.
The poll of 855 registered voters was taken April 24-27 and had a margin of error of +/- 3.5 percent. The poll of 424 Republicans and Republican-leaning independents was taken during the same period and had a margin of error of +/- 5 percent.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinstatenews.com.
