Trump beats out Lincoln as better president, majority of Republicans say in new poll

President Trump was rated above Abraham Lincoln by a majority of Republicans surveyed in a recent poll conducted by The Economist and YouGov.

Conducted between Sunday and Tuesday this week, the survey asked a random sample of 1,500 adults several questions about Mr. Trump as part of a weekly tracking poll.

Among the questions asked of respondents was to consider both Mr. Trump and Lincoln and answer, “Which Republican president was better?”

Three-quarters of all people surveyed picked Lincoln as the better president, but most Republicans answered otherwise: Among respondents identified as Republicans, 53% chose Mr. Trump as the better president and 47% named Lincoln.

Elsewhere in the latest survey respondents were given the names of several Republican presidents and asked to rank them on a scale of one to eight, with one being “best” and eight being “worst.” Nearly one-third of Republicans surveyed – 32% – ranked Mr. Trump as the best, compared to 29% who picked Lincoln and 27% who chose former president Ronald Reagan.

Asked to decide which president was better, Trump or Reagan, 41% of Republicans surveyed picked the current officeholder. The majority – 59% – answered Reagan. 

Mr. Trump has previously compared himself to both Lincoln and Reagan while boasting about his support among fellow Republicans.