It’s not even close when it comes to who Oahu voters prefer to become America’s next president.
“Biden,” said Baron Ching, 68, of Makiki. “Biden seems to be a decent kind of honest guy. He’s not real excitement, but we don’t need any more excitement.”
Vice President Joe Biden received 58% support from Oahu voters in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser’s Hawaii Poll.
By comparison, President Donald Trump received only 29% support. Some 8% of Oahu voters remain undecided.
Both candidate’s strongest support came from the political parties they lead.
Some 92% of Oahu Democratic voters support Biden, along with 47% of independents. Trump received support from 85% of Oahu Republicans and support from only 28% of independents.
The Hawaii Poll was conducted by Washington, D.C.-based Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy from Oct. 12 to Wednesday. A total of 625 registered voters on Oahu were interviewed live over both landline and cellular telephones. The margin of error was plus or minus 4 percentage points.
Biden received strong support from nearly every demographic group except Republicans.
Biden’s support among whites was 49%, and he received majority support from most other voting groups, including:
>> Women (64%).
>> Men (52%).
>> Voters younger than 50 (61%).
>> Voters age 50 and older (56%).
>> Japanese (62%).
>> Hawaiians (59%).
Trump’s largest support came from:
>> Whites (38%).
>> Men (34%).
>> Voters age 50 and over (31%).
Trump voters on Oahu and Hawaii Poll respondents include Dan Foster, 61, of Waipahu.
“I’m voting the Republican ticket because the basic tenets of the Republican Party are within my belief system,” Foster said. “I believe government’s too big and it’s not the government’s place to support everyone. There’s work, and if you work you can pay your taxes and support things that city and county governments need. The federal government is not the answer for everything.”
Bertram Angut, 63, of Waianae said he’s “leaning towards Trump. I think he’s done more for the economy in general.”
Other Hawaii Poll respondents like Ching said they were inclined to support Biden both for what he represents — and for what Trump has done in his first term.
“Trump is incompetent, and he’s arrogant and he’s a racist, among a few of the minor details,” Ching said.
Edward Naong, 80, of Mililani said he supports “Biden, of course. I’m highly disfavorable against Trump. He lies too much and he covers up too much. I don’t like Trump. Biden is down to earth, and he’s honest and he tells the truth.”
Vikki Conklin, 60, of Makaha said that as a woman of faith it was difficult for her to criticize Trump, but she did so anyway.
“I can’t stand Trump,” she said. “I don’t want to be a hater, but I just think he’s a horrible person. Trump encourages violence. He lies constantly. He has no empathy. He doesn’t care for Black people, for poor people. I just think Joe Biden’s a decent person who’s going to do better for our country.”
HI1020Poll Copy Trump Quest… by Honolulu Star-Advertiser