One thing pollsters have a hard time projecting is turnout, and it's likely to be a critical factor this year. How many of those people telling pollsters — especially robocall and Internet pollsters — that they support Donald Trump will actually vote? Which of our two parties' candidates will arouse more enthusiasm among their voters and thereby tip a roughly evenly balanced electorate their way?
But polls can provide clues, and a Rasmussen poll provides evidence that this year, unlike 2008 and to a lesser extent 2012, the balance of enthusiasm favors Republicans. Rasmussen, a robocall poll, asked respondents identifying themselves as likely voters whether they were looking forward to this year's presidential race or whether they had had enough of the race even though the first votes have not yet been cast.
Overall, 58 percent said they were looking forward to the race, while 37 percent said they have had enough. But the responses of Republicans and Democrats were very different. Among Republicans, 71 percent are looking forward and 25 percent have had enough. Among Democrats, 50 percent are looking forward and 44 percent have had enough. An astonishing (and likely overstated) 79 percent said they have watched at least some of the presidential debates, with 70 percent saying they watched those of both political parties. Some 25 percent watched only Republican debates and a pitifully low 5 percent watched only Democratic debates. That's in line with the television ratings which have shown significantly higher viewership of Republican debates — in contrast to 2008.
