Washington

Poll: Voters Split on Whether Bush Kept Us Safe

Jeb Bush says his brother kept us safe, but voters are split on the question. (Image via Flickr)

Did George W. Bush keep us safe during his two terms as president? A new Morning Consult survey shows voters are divided on the topic.

In our new national poll, 34 percent of respondents said Bush’s policies kept us safer, while 35 percent said he kept us less safe. Twenty percent of voters said they didn’t think his policies made any impact.

See full toplines here, and full crosstabs here.

Among military households, 43 percent of respondents said the president kept us safe, while 33 percent said he did not.

And along partisan lines, 57 percent of Republicans said Bush kept us safer, compared to only 19 percent of Democrats. Independents were split on the question: 30 percent said Bush’s policies kept us safe and 32 percent said we were less safe because of them.

Demographic5/6/205/7/205/8/205/9/205/10/205/11/205/12/205/13/205/14/205/15/205/16/205/17/205/18/205/19/205/20/205/21/205/22/205/23/205/24/205/25/205/26/205/27/205/28/205/29/205/30/205/31/206/1/206/2/206/3/206/4/206/5/206/6/206/7/206/8/206/9/206/10/206/11/206/12/206/13/206/14/206/15/206/16/206/17/206/18/206/19/206/20/206/21/206/22/206/23/206/24/206/25/206/26/206/27/206/28/206/29/206/30/207/1/207/2/207/3/207/4/207/5/207/6/207/7/207/8/207/9/207/10/207/11/207/12/207/13/207/14/207/15/207/16/207/17/207/18/207/19/207/20/207/21/207/22/207/23/207/24/207/25/207/26/207/27/207/28/207/29/207/30/207/31/208/1/208/2/20
Likely Voters494434494434494434484434484535484535484535484435494435494335494435494435494435484435484435494435494335484435484435484534494434484435484435494435494435494435484435494335494335494335494335504235504334514234514234504235504235504235504235504235514235514235514234504234504235504235504235504235504235504235504225504225504324514234504334514234514234514234504235504334504235514234504234514234504235504235504235514235504234504235504235504235504235504235514235504235504235514235514235514235504235514325514235514235504334504324504324504324514224
Democrats9052390522906229052290622905229062291522905239152390522905228952389523905239152391423905239052390622906229062290523905239052390522915229152291522916229062291523915229142291422914229152291522924239242292422925229152292522915239152290523905229052391513924139241392422924229242292512925129252292522925129251292412915229252292522925129251292512915129251291513925129151291513915139151291512925129241292412915139251292512925129251291512916129251292512
Independents43398104240894339994240894339811433971144387114438711443871142406124339612434061144396114240612424061142407114338810443881044397114340611443871143387114338711424071143397104338712433671343367134337813443771244386124538611463861046376104737610473661148356114736611483561048357114934710463671145377104537710463581145358124536811443771245376124436713453671146367114637611463661145377114537711453771145367114536711463681147347114735810473671046368104635811453691145369104636810473581047348114734812463471246347124635811473471247347124734712463681145368114537711453771145376114636712453671246367114736610483561047367104538710
Republicans7891278913789136891369013690136911369012790127891369013690136901369112691126901369013690136901369013790137901379013690137901369013690137901378913888147881478813789137891388813789137891378814788137891378913888138881378913888138881378813788137891378913690137901378913789137891288813888138881378913789137891378913788137891378813788147891378913789137881388813888138881378913789137891368913789137891378913789137891388813889138881378913789137891388913
Gen Zers552810753319751331075231108523089572878582778622486592777582868563078592688602677602389552791054288105330895727795925886226665928765629785627895627895727795826696124696324586127675927775927776026785927776026766125866223786123886123886322876323776422776025776323866025875925885825796024896025875926785927786025696225576523666522766422866224776522676820666920666623656423666323875924107602497612497652087622396642386612586632386612586622486612577602587612488602488622378622477652276652276662275672265642376622378612388642278662176672166672265
Millennials523945533944543654533854523955513945504145504145514144534034533945533934523945514135524035504054514044514054523945524044523944504055503955503956523855523855513956523856523855543745533845543835553744563644553644563645553645543646523945533845553645563545553645533745523746523756533755523855523845523946533835543835563734563644543834553744543944553844523944523845543745553744563644563644553644533845533845533845543745533845533845523945533845543844533845533845543745533845513955514045514045533845523945533845514045514145514234534034543934
Gen Xers464734464734454735454735454645464635484435484336484436474436464635474535454636454735454835474634484534474635464635474635474625484425494425504324494525484525464625454726454736454636474526494326524125524025524125484435484534474535494434484435484535484435464635464725454824484535494435504235504226494335494434494334494435484435484525484435484435484435474535464635454636474525484435494435484435464535494435494435494335484435474535464725464725484525494325484525474625474525484425484426484525474525494425494425504335494425494524494424504325
Baby Boomers484714494524494624484624474824464824474824464824474724474724484614474714484625474724484624484614494524474724474724464824474724474824474824474824474824474724474724494524494425494425484525484625474724474724484724484624484614484615494514494624494524494524504424514424524324514424494524484625484525494425504414494514484614494524494524494524494524494624494514494524504424504424494524494524494624504415494515494514494624504524504425504325504325504424504424494424504424504424504424514424504424504514504524504514504514504514494514484614484624

The question has garnered attention since the contentious back and forth on Feb. 13 between billionaire Donald Trump and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush at the GOP debate in Greenville, S.C.

Trump was booed audibly for implying that George W. Bush didn’t keep us safe because of the Sept. 11 attacks, and our polling shows his supporters are much more likely to agree with him than other candidates. Twenty-two percent of Trump supporters say Bush’s policies kept us less safe, compared with just six percent of Florida Sen. Marco Rubio’s supporters and eight percent of Texas Sen. Ted Cruz’s supporters.

Demographic5/6/205/7/205/8/205/9/205/10/205/11/205/12/205/13/205/14/205/15/205/16/205/17/205/18/205/19/205/20/205/21/205/22/205/23/205/24/205/25/205/26/205/27/205/28/205/29/205/30/205/31/206/1/206/2/206/3/206/4/206/5/206/6/206/7/206/8/206/9/206/10/206/11/206/12/206/13/206/14/206/15/206/16/206/17/206/18/206/19/206/20/206/21/206/22/206/23/206/24/206/25/206/26/206/27/206/28/206/29/206/30/207/1/207/2/207/3/207/4/207/5/207/6/207/7/207/8/207/9/207/10/207/11/207/12/207/13/207/14/207/15/207/16/207/17/207/18/207/19/207/20/207/21/207/22/207/23/207/24/207/25/207/26/207/27/207/28/207/29/207/30/207/31/208/1/208/2/208/3/208/4/208/5/208/6/208/7/208/8/208/9/20
Likely Voters494434494434494434484434484535484535484535484435494435494335494435494435494435484435484435494435494335484435484435484534494434484435484435494435494435494435484435494335494335494335494335504235504334514234514234504235504235504235504235504235514235514235514234504234504235504235504235504235504235504235504225504225504324514234504334514234514234514234504235504334504235514234504234514234504235504235504235514235504234504235504235504235504235504235514235504235504235514235514235514235504235514325514235514235504334504324504324504324514224514225514235514235514225514225514324514324
Democrats905239052290622905229062290522906229152290523915239052290522895238952390523915239142390523905239062290622906229052390523905239052291522915229152291622906229152391522914229142291422915229152292423924229242292522915229252291523915229052390522905239151392413924139242292422924229251292512925229252292512925129241291522925229252292512925129251291512925129151392512915129151391513915129151292512924129241291513925129251292512925129151291612925129251292512925129251292512925129251292512
Independents433981042408943399942408943398114339711443871144387114438711424061243396124340611443961142406124240611424071143388104438810443971143406114438711433871143387114240711433971043387124336713433671343378134437712443861245386114638610463761047376104736611483561147366114835610483571149347104636711453771045377104635811453581245368114437712453761244367134536711463671146376114636611453771145377114537711453671145367114636811473471147358104736710463681046358114536911453691046368104735810473481147348124634712463471246358114734712473471247347124636811453681145377114537711453761146367124536712463671147366104835610473671045387104537710453681148357114736711463661245377114636711
Republicans789127891378913689136901369013691136901279012789136901369013690136911269112690136901369013690136901379013790137901369013790136901369013790137891388814788147881378913789138881378913789137881478813789137891388813888137891388813888137881378813789137891369013790137891378913789128881388813888137891378913789137891378813789137881378814789137891378913788138881388813888137891378913789136891378913789137891378913789138881388913888137891378913789138891378913788137881388714888138881388913
Gen Zers552810753319751331075231108523089572878582778622486592777582868563078592688602677602389552791054288105330895727795925886226665928765629785627895627895727795826696124696324586127675927775927776026785927776026766125866223786123886123886322876323776422776025776323866025875925885825796024896025875926785927786025696225576523666522766422866224776522676820666920666623656423666323875924107602497612497652087622396642386612586632386612586622486612577602587612488602488622378622477652276652276662275672265642376622378612388642278662176672166672265662356652456642456642457642546612946593056
Millennials523945533944543654533854523955513945504145504145514144534034533945533934523945514135524035504054514044514054523945524044523944504055503955503956523855523855513956523856523855543745533845543835553744563644553644563645553645543646523945533845553645563545553645533745523746523756533755523855523845523946533835543835563734563644543834553744543944553844523944523845543745553744563644563644553644533845533845533845543745533845533845523945533845543844533845533845543745533845513955514045514045533845523945533845514045514145514234534034543934543845543745553645553545563545553735543844
Gen Xers464734464734454735454735454645464635484435484336484436474436464635474535454636454735454835474634484534474635464635474635474625484425494425504324494525484525464625454726454736454636474526494326524125524025524125484435484534474535494434484435484535484435464635464725454824484535494435504235504226494335494434494334494435484435484525484435484435484435474535464635454636474525484435494435484435464535494435494435494335484435474535464725464725484525494325484525474625474525484425484426484525474525494425494425504335494425494524494424504325494335494335494425504325494425494435494435
Baby Boomers484714494524494624484624474824464824474824464824474724474724484614474714484625474724484624484614494524474724474724464824474724474824474824474824474824474724474724494524494425494425484525484625474724474724484724484624484614484615494514494624494524494524504424514424524324514424494524484625484525494425504414494514484614494524494524494524494524494624494514494524504424504424494524494524494624504415494515494514494624504524504425504325504325504424504424494424504424504424504424514424504424504514504524504514504514504514494514484614484624494524494524494524494624494514494614494614

We also asked voters if knowing that the former president is a close and trusted advisor to Jeb Bush would make them more or less likely to back him in the race. Twenty-seven percent of Trump supporters said it makes them less likely to vote for Bush, compared to 20 percent of Rubio supporters and 16 percent of Cruz supporters.

Demographic5/6/205/7/205/8/205/9/205/10/205/11/205/12/205/13/205/14/205/15/205/16/205/17/205/18/205/19/205/20/205/21/205/22/205/23/205/24/205/25/205/26/205/27/205/28/205/29/205/30/205/31/206/1/206/2/206/3/206/4/206/5/206/6/206/7/206/8/206/9/206/10/206/11/206/12/206/13/206/14/206/15/206/16/206/17/206/18/206/19/206/20/206/21/206/22/206/23/206/24/206/25/206/26/206/27/206/28/206/29/206/30/207/1/207/2/207/3/207/4/207/5/207/6/207/7/207/8/207/9/207/10/207/11/207/12/207/13/207/14/207/15/207/16/207/17/207/18/207/19/207/20/207/21/207/22/207/23/207/24/207/25/207/26/207/27/207/28/207/29/207/30/207/31/208/1/208/2/208/3/208/4/208/5/208/6/208/7/208/8/208/9/208/10/208/11/208/12/208/13/208/14/208/15/208/16/20
Likely Voters494434494434494434484434484535484535484535484435494435494335494435494435494435484435484435494435494335484435484435484534494434484435484435494435494435494435484435494335494335494335494335504235504334514234514234504235504235504235504235504235514235514235514234504234504235504235504235504235504235504235504225504225504324514234504334514234514234514234504235504334504235514234504234514234504235504235504235514235504234504235504235504235504235504235514235504235504235514235514235514235504235514325514235514235504334504324504324504324514224514225514235514235514225514225514324514324514324504334514324514225514225514324514324
Democrats90523905229062290522906229052290622915229052391523905229052289523895239052391523914239052390523906229062290622905239052390523905229152291522915229162290622915239152291422914229142291522915229242392422924229252291522925229152391522905239052290523915139241392413924229242292422925129251292522925229251292512924129152292522925229251292512925129151292512915139251291512915139151391512915129251292412924129151392512925129251292512915129161292512925129251292512925129251292512925129251292512925129251292512934129441194412
Independents433981042408943399942408943398114339711443871144387114438711424061243396124340611443961142406124240611424071143388104438810443971143406114438711433871143387114240711433971043387124336713433671343378134437712443861245386114638610463761047376104736611483561147366114835610483571149347104636711453771045377104635811453581245368114437712453761244367134536711463671146376114636611453771145377114537711453671145367114636811473471147358104736710463681046358114536911453691046368104735810473481147348124634712463471246358114734712473471247347124636811453681145377114537711453761146367124536712463671147366104835610473671045387104537710453681148357114736711463661245377114636711473771046367114537711453671245367124636711483679
Republicans78912789137891368913690136901369113690127901278913690136901369013691126911269013690136901369013690137901379013790136901379013690136901379013789138881478814788137891378913888137891378913788147881378913789138881388813789138881388813788137881378913789136901379013789137891378912888138881388813789137891378913789137881378913788137881478913789137891378813888138881388813789137891378913689137891378913789137891378913888138891388813789137891378913889137891378813788138871488813888138891388813789137891378913790136901279012
Gen Zers552810753319751331075231108523089572878582778622486592777582868563078592688602677602389552791054288105330895727795925886226665928765629785627895627895727795826696124696324586127675927775927776026785927776026766125866223786123886123886322876323776422776025776323866025875925885825796024896025875926785927786025696225576523666522766422866224776522676820666920666623656423666323875924107602497612497652087622396642386612586632386612586622486612577602587612488602488622378622477652276652276662275672265642376622378612388642278662176672166672265662356652456642456642457642546612946593056583066622667622766622765622666642655672355
Millennials523945533944543654533854523955513945504145504145514144534034533945533934523945514135524035504054514044514054523945524044523944504055503955503956523855523855513956523856523855543745533845543835553744563644553644563645553645543646523945533845553645563545553645533745523746523756533755523855523845523946533835543835563734563644543834553744543944553844523944523845543745553744563644563644553644533845533845533845543745533845533845523945533845543844533845533845543745533845513955514045514045533845523945533845514045514145514234534034543934543845543745553645553545563545553735543844524044524044514045533945523935533945533934
Gen Xers464734464734454735454735454645464635484435484336484436474436464635474535454636454735454835474634484534474635464635474635474625484425494425504324494525484525464625454726454736454636474526494326524125524025524125484435484534474535494434484435484535484435464635464725454824484535494435504235504226494335494434494334494435484435484525484435484435484435474535464635454636474525484435494435484435464535494435494435494335484435474535464725464725484525494325484525474625474525484425484426484525474525494425494425504335494425494524494424504325494335494335494425504325494425494435494435494425484525484525484425484525484525494424
Baby Boomers484714494524494624484624474824464824474824464824474724474724484614474714484625474724484624484614494524474724474724464824474724474824474824474824474824474724474724494524494425494425484525484625474724474724484724484624484614484615494514494624494524494524504424514424524324514424494524484625484525494425504414494514484614494524494524494524494524494624494514494524504424504424494524494524494624504415494515494514494624504524504425504325504325504424504424494424504424504424504424514424504424504514504524504514504514504514494514484614484624494524494524494524494624494514494614494614504424504424514424514414514414514423504513

The Morning Consult survey polled 1,763 registered voters on Feb. 15 and Feb. 16, for a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points.

Morning Consult