Poll: Most Voters Clueless On Prez Candidates’ Immigration Stances

Wed, April 09, 2008 - 1:18 PM

WASHINGTON – A new poll shows most voters have no clue about the presidential contenders’ positions on immigration.

The poll commissioned by the Center for Immigration Studies also indicates that voters often held different positions from the candidates they supported.

For instance, only 34 percent of the 546 Republicans and 730 Democrats surveyed between March 12 and 13 who voted in primaries for Sen. John McCain correctly identified the Arizona Republican as favoring eventual citizenship for undocumented immigrants who meet certain requirements.

Likewise, just 42 percent of those who voted for Hillary Rodham Clinton were aware that the New York Democrat also favored eventual citizenship, and 52 percent of those who voted for Barack Obama knew the Illinois Democrat did, too.

The poll also showed that these voters oftent held different positions from the candidate the supported. Only 31 percent of McCain voters had the same immigration position as he does. For Clinton, 45 percent of her voters shared her position, while 61 percent of Obama supporters shared his stance.

-- Billy House