Military Times survey: Troops back Donald Trump, Bernie Sanders for president

[Uncle Joe]

In an exclusive survey of American military personnel, Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders emerged as active-duty service members' top choices to become the next commander in chief.

The Republican front runner Trump was the most popular candidate in a subscriber poll that closed Sunday, with 27 percent saying they would back the business mogul if the election were held tomorrow. Sanders, the independent Vermont senator, was a close second at 22 percent.

The results — based on responses from 931 active-duty troops, reservists and members of the National Guard — do not offer a scientific status of military voting preferences. However, they do show that the outsider candidates’ messages are resonating with individuals in uniform.



The data also suggest that military personnel have not been dissuaded by political rivals who contend Trump and Sanders have weak foreign policy credentials and don't have recognized experts as national security advisers.

In the poll, nearly half of the service members surveyed said they were unhappy with the discussion of national security issues in the presidential race so far. Fewer than 5 percent were "very satisfied" with how the topic has been broached.

(snip)

Almost a third of those surveyed do not affiliate with either the Republican or Democratic parties. Sanders was more popular than Trump among that group, but one in seven of those individuals indicated they plan on backing a third-party candidate.

Trump also appears to be the most polarizing of all the candidates, with several dozen respondents, in a comments section of the poll, calling him dangerous for the military and the country. Three individuals polled said they’d leave the service if he becomes commander-in-chief.

(snip)

http://www.militarytimes.com/story/military/election/2016/03/14/military-times-election-survey-donald-trump-bernie-sanders/81767560/

[amborin]

1. K&R

[UMTerp01]

2. Not surprising

Military is mostly men and I know a lot of military men who have an issue with a female commander in chief so Bernie being more supported is about as surprising as finding out water is wet.

[Uncle Joe]

3. I agree it's not surprising but for different reasons, the military is made up of men and women

that put their lives on the line to defend our nation.

They see first hand the results of combat and the bloody high human cost of war.

I have no doubt that having a Commander in Chief predisposed to regime change and waging war isn't particularly comforting to them.

[dhill926]

6. then what explains Trump's numbers...

[Uncle Joe]

7. Trump has also "claimed" to be against war, Iraq in particular, I don't believe him

but that's part of his message.

[beam me up scottie]

8. That's always the default position, isn't it?

Don't give servicemen AND servicewomen any credit for having the intelligence to choose Bernie over Hillary for valid reasons.

Like his popularity among veterans since he's been fighting for their rights for decades.

No it just HAS to be misogyny.

Pathetic.

[Uncle Joe]

9. Well said, beam me up scottie.

Peace to you.

[imagine2015]

4. Kick

[GeorgiaPeanuts]

5. Hillary is doing worse than Ted Cruz...

That is a little embarrassing to be honest...