Kanye West and Other Celebs Not Wanted as President, Survey Finds


  • StudyFinds survey shows just 8% of adults would vote for Kanye West over Donald Trump or Joe Biden in the upcoming election.
  • Among other celebrities linked to the Oval Office, Kanye came in last among respondents — though 48% say no one in the group is qualified for the job.
  • In poll featuring only Trump and Biden, 61% of adults choose Biden, versus 39% for Trump.

BALTIMORE — Kanye West is no stranger to the news cycle, and he’s one of the best at getting everyone’s attention. That’s certainly the case yet again after claiming he’ll toss his hat into the upcoming 2020 presidential election ring. Whether or not the music icon is even half serious remains a mystery, but one thing is clear: few people would actually vote for him. In fact, a new StudyFinds survey reveals half of Americans believe the Oval Office isn’t the place for any other celebrity who’s been in the campaign conversation.

July 4, 2020 will surely go down as one of the most surreal and dispiriting Independence Days for many, if not most, Americans. From major cities canceling fireworks displays — or simply banning crowds from them — thanks to the coronavirus; to protests against racism and social injustices outside capitol buildings and city halls, the celebratory ways of July 4th were far from the norm for the country. Which makes it all the more appropriate, perhaps, that West chose that evening as the time to tweet his announcement that he’s running for president.

StudyFinds Presidential Poll: Kanye West vs. Donald Trump vs. Joe Biden
StudyFinds.org

Of course, pundits and laypeople alike believe this is just a publicity stunt. But suppose he does register with the Federal Election Commission. Suppose this is no joke at all. Would you vote for Kanye West?

Kanye Vs. Trump Vs. Biden?

Since West must run as an Independent on the upcoming ballot, we asked 469 adults who they would support in a three-way race between the rapper, Joe Biden, and President Donald Trump. Just 8% of participants prefer West over Biden and Trump. As for everyone else, 55% support Biden, while only 37% are in the Trump camp.

Assuming this is just a stunt, how do the results change for the actual contest featuring Biden against Trump? With West out of the equation, 61 percent of participants say they’ll vote Biden, the other 39% choosing Trump. The results are in line with other polls showing the former vice president taking a significant lead in the race.

StudyFinds Presidential Candidate Poll: Trump vs. Biden
StudyFinds.org

It’s been a stressful year across the globe, and Trump is feeling the pressure from a country that’s reached multiple boiling points. The survey shows that three in five Americans are not satisfied with his performance this year, while half of adults are “very unsatisfied.” Of the two in five who are pleased with the president’s job in 2020, 23% are “satisfied” and 16% are “very satisified.

Which celebrity would Americans vote for?

West isn’t the only celebrity whose name has been tossed around as possible presidential candidate in recent years. A-listers like Oprah Winfrey and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson continue to make waves in the rumor mill. Other prominent non-politicians in the mix include Dallas Mavericks owner and billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban; and the eccentric billionaire CEO of Tesla, Elon Musk. Interestingly, Musk says he’ll fully get behind West if he does decide to run.

StudyFinds Celebrity Presidential Poll
StudyFinds.org

With that in mind, how would Kanye fare against those celebrities? Survey participants were asked that very question. While 48% don’t believe any of the choices are viable options, Oprah is the clear favorite. Nearly one in five participants (19%) would vote for her over the others. Johnson is the next favorite, with about 12% of the vote. Cuban comes next at 10%, then Musk with 7% of the vote. That leaves — who else? — Kanye West at the bottom of the group with just 5% of participants voting for him.

Americans prefer a politician as president

Still, Americans seem to want someone with political experience as commander-in-chief. With Trump’s first term in office nearing an end, are Americans any more open to supporting a non-politician?

StudyFinds Poll: How Likely Are You To Vote For A Non-Politician?
StudyFinds.org

The survey shows that 36% are either “much less likely” (25%) or “less likely” (11%) to vote for a celebrity or someone new to the political arena. Conversely, 15% are “more likely” and 13% “much more likely” to vote for a non-politician. The other 36% say their feelings are no different from when Trump first took office.

As for whether or West decides to run for president, it doesn’t seem like Americans are holding their breath. Nor is it likely that any of the other celebrities who are thought of as potential candidates will enter the contest. Of course, 2020 is proving to be anything but typical, and a late entrant wouldn’t be surprising at this point, either.

The survey was carried out by Survey Monkey.

This article was originally posted July 8th, 2020.

Comments

  1. If you consider how many voters there are in presidential elections then seemingly small numbers like 4% can be understood to represent millions of people.

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