Poll: Most Americans wouldn’t vote for Palin or Trump

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and businessman Donald Trump may currently be two of the best known Republican stars in America--but being a celebrity doesn't necessarily translate into concrete political support, a new poll finds.

Fifty-eight percent of registered voters surveyed by Quinnipiac University over the past week indicated they "would never vote" for Palin or Trump for president.

The independent poll sought to measure voter enthusiasm for potential GOP candidates. Former Govs. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts and Mike Huckabee of Arkansas topped the poll in enthusiasm with 38 percent saying they would "consider voting" for Romney and 15 percent indicating they were enthusiastic about him while 34 percent responded they would consider voting for Huckabee and 13 percent are enthusiastic about his candidacy.

"Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee are in the best shape," Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Polling Institute said in his analysis. "Sarah Palin and Donald Trump suffer from the reality that, as our mothers told us, 'You never get a second chance to make a first impression.'"

Though 15 percent of respondents indicated they are enthusiastic about Palin, only 24 percent said they would consider voting for her. Trump received a 9 percent enthusiasm rating and a 26 percent rating on whether individuals would vote for him.

As expected, Palin and Trump fared better among their base. When presented with a head-to-head primary race matchup, Republicans and Republican-leaning Independents favored Romney with 18 percent, Huckabee and Palin with 15 percent, and Trump with 12 percent.

But as a clear reminder of how far off the 2012 election still remains, 15 percent (the same amount of voters surveyed who favored Huckabee or Palin) of GOP and Republican-leaners said they don't know who they would support.

(Photo of Palin, left: Ed Reinke/AP; Trump, right: Matt Sayles/AP)

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THE NEW YORK TIMES/CBS NEWS POLL

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