Arizona Republicans Still Mostly Undecided on Candidate in Governor's Race

The primary election is only about six weeks away, but the latest poll in the governor's race shows about half the Republicans surveyed don't have a pick.

The poll released today by local political consulting firm Highground shows Treasurer Doug Ducey in first, at just 17 percent.

See also:
-March: No One Leading Race for Arizona Governor

Ducey's followed by former GoDaddy higher-up Christine Jones, and former Mesa Mayor Scott Smith.

Smith's son Ryan works at Highground.

Here's what the group got out of 400 Republican primary voters:

Q: If the Republican primary election for Governor were held today, who would you vote for: [Randomize names]

17.3% Doug Ducey
15.3% Christine Jones
9.8% Scott Smith
3.5% Ken Bennett
3.0% Andrew Thomas
1.5% Frank Riggs
44.8% Undecided
5.0% Don't Know, Refused

That's just about 50 percent of Republicans not picking a candidate.

Two previous polls released in earlier months -- one in February, and one in March -- showed similar results, as far as people being undecided. But primary day is on August 26, and early-ballot voters will have to decide before that. Early balloting starts in just a couple of weeks.

Here's what else Highground got out of its poll:

Q: What do you consider to be the top issue facing Arizona today? [Randomize]

62.8% Immigration and Border Issues
20.8% Jobs and the Economy
8.5% Education
3.5% State Budget
2.8% Healthcare
1.5% Taxes
0.3% Transportation

Q: On a scale of 5 to 1 on which 5 means a major public policy crisis, 4 means a serious issue, 3 is not an important issue, 2 means an ordinary issue, and 1 means an overblown issue, how would you rate immigration and border issues in Arizona?

5.8% Overblown issue
1.8% Ordinary issue
4.5% Not an important issue
21.8% A serious issue
65.3% A major issue crisis
1.0% Undecided, Refused

Q: Do you support or oppose comprehensive immigration reform?

22.5% Definitely Oppose
7.5% Probably Oppose
19.0% Probably Support
32.5% Definitely Support
18.5% Don't Know, Refused

Q: Would you support an immigration reform policy that would secure the border with more agents, fencing and technology; crack down on employers who hire illegal immigrants; provide a 10 year waiting time to apply to become a lawful permanent resident, but NOT citizenship; and develop a system to issue temporary visas for limited periods for both high and low skilled workers where jobs are not being filled?

10.0% Definitely No
5.8% Probably No
34.0% Probably Yes
43.0% Definitely Yes
7.3% Don't Know, Refused

Q: What do you think the Federal Government should do about the estimated 50,000 children who have entered the U.S. illegally in recent months? [Rotate]

66.3% Immediately return unaccompanied children back to their country of origin
17.0% Permit children to stay with relatives in the US while deportation hearings proceed
5.5% Keep the children in Customs detention centers while deportation hearings proceed
3.8% Allow the children to stay in the United States
7.5% Don't Know, Refused

Q: If the Federal government refuses to secure the border, would you support the state of Arizona increasing taxes to allocate additional resources to securing the border and increasing immigration enforcement?

24.5% Definitely No
12.3% Probably No
20.5% Probably Yes
37.3% Definitely Yes
5.5% Don't Know, Refused

Q: If you had to chose, would you more closely identify yourself as [Rotate]

35.8% Part of the traditional Republican Party
23.3% Part of the Tea Party Movement
34.5% An independent
4.0% Other
2.5% Don't Know, Refused

On the Democratic side, things are pretty well settled -- Fred DuVal is the only Dem candidate on the ballot.

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