Poll: Veterans favor Romney by wide margin
Published: May 29, 2012
WASHINGTON – A new poll from Gallup this week shows solid support among veterans for Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, especially among older, male veterans. According to the researchers, 58 percent of veterans say they’d vote for Romney if the election were held today, while only 34 percent said they would back President Barack Obama.
The bad news for the Romney campaign? That’s almost exactly the same margin veterans backed Sen. John McCain in the 2008 election (56 percent to 34 percent), and their support ended up being inconsequential in that contest.
The new poll has the two 2012 presidential contenders in a dead heat among all registered voters, at 46 percent each. According to the survey, Romney enjoys stronger support among men and older voters, while women and younger voters in general support Obama.
The Gallup poll did not ask why veterans prefer the Republican challenger, although previous polls have shown a preference in general among veterans and active-duty troops for GOP candidates. Neither Obama nor Romney served in the military.
The 2012 presidential contest is the first to feature two major-party candidates without any military experience since World War II, when Franklin Roosevelt defeated Thomas Dewey.
