Political consultant breaks down presidential race at Macon event

A nationally known political consultant said Tuesday that the 2016 presidential election will be the first one of which he has no idea who will emerge the winner.

Political strategist and pollster Frank Luntz spoke about the current state of politics during the Georgia Chamber of Commerce 2015 Luncheon at the Macon Marriott City Center. Luntz was the featured speaker at the event that drew about 900 business leaders along with local, state and national politicians.

Luntz is a pollster who has been a contributor on Fox News and MSNBC. He’s also consulted for Fortune 100 companies such as Atlanta-based Coca-Cola and Delta Air Lines.

“This is the first time in my life that I have no clue who is going to win,” Luntz said.

He touched on the attributes of candidates who have led to candidates such as Donald Trump and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders gaining traction while Hillary Clinton is struggling so far.

Luntz said he is unsure if Clinton will be the Democratic nominee.

“We have never elected someone in the modern history of America who six months before the first vote had a 38 percent favorability rating,” Luntz said.

Luntz said Trump and Sanders are tapping into the same anger that many Americans feel about the state of the nation.

“(Sanders’) language is so powerful to a middle class that is struggling to remain middle class, and a working class that believes it’ll never make it to middle class,” Luntz said.

Luntz said Trump’s supporters connect to him because he is genuine.

“Donald Trump in the latest Reuters poll is pulling almost (two) times as much support as Jeb Bush,” Luntz said. “It’s truly remarkable. We’ve never seen anything like it.”

Luntz also responded to the controversy swirling after a Fox News focus group conducted by Luntz panned Trump following the debate. Luntz said he was hurt when Trump called him a dunce and claimed the pollster was upset because Trump wouldn’t give him a job. Luntz, however, was not bothered at being called a slob by the billionaire because “that’s accurate,” he joked.

U.S. Rep. Rob Woodall, R-Lawrenceville, said Luntz has helped politicians have a dialogue with other officials they don’t agree with on an issue.

“He helps us all craft our language,” he said.

To contact writer Stanley Dunlap, call 744-4623 or find him on Twitter &stan_telegraph.

This story was originally published August 25, 2015 at 5:18 PM with the headline "Political consultant breaks down presidential race at Macon event ."