The earliest results of the Morning Consult/Politico exit poll released Monday morning show that twice as many 2016 voters say they want a “strong leader” than those who said the same in 2012.
The poll, which asked voters to name the characteristic they thought to be most important in a U.S. president, found that roughly 36 percent of voters viewed a “strong leader” to be the most important trait. Approximately 29 percent of those polled thought “a vision for the future” was key, whereas 16 percent of voters opted for a candidate who either “cares about people like me” and or “shares my values.”
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After a particularly contentious and bitter general election campaign, 85 percent of voters surveyed in the Morning Consult/Politico poll said they “just want it to be over.” Approximately 72 percent of voters described themselves as “anxious” about the presidential election’s results, while 71 percent called themselves “nervous.”
Other adjectives chosen include 53 percent as “angry” and half of respondents said they were “sad.” In fact, 39 percent called themselves “depressed” over the course and potential outcome of the election. Only 29 percent of voters said they were “proud” and only 25 percent said they were “happy” about the presidential election.
The fact that many voters are looking for a leader they view as strong could be a positive indicator for Donald Trump, who has worked the theme of strength into much of his campaign’s messaging.
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