GOP nominee Donald Trump may be trailing Democratic rivalHillary Clinton in national polls of likely voters, but among onesegment of the electorate, he leads by a wide margin: insurance andfinancial service professionals.

Related: Trump and Clinton not so different on wages,economy

That is true, at least, on the narrow question regarding whichof the leading party candidates is best positioned to steer theU.S. economy to long-term growth. In a September 2016 surveyconducted by the Woodbridge Group of Companies ofregistered investment advisors and insurance sales professionals, awhopping 8 in 10 respondents (83 percent) flag the real estatemagnate and TV celebrity as the best candidate for “fosteringlong-term growth and building a healthy U.S. economy.”

Just 6 percent of advisors express more confidence in HillaryClinton’s ability to grow the economy. The remainder of theadvisors polled said neither candidate would benefit the country’seconomic needs.

“Regardless of the election’s outcome, financial advisors whoresponded to our survey made themselves abundantly clear as to whothey believe is best-suited to set the country on a path toeconomic vitality,” Woodbridge President and CEO Bob Shapiro saidin a press statement. “Throughout the survey, we see the sameeconomic themes repeated over and over again: job one for the newAdministration has to be economic fixes.”

Related: Trump short on details for health, retirementpolicy

The Woodbridge poll contrasts with broader public opinionsurveys about the candidates’ economic positions and skills. Forexample, WalletHub reported last month that Americans favor HillaryClinton’s plan to tax the wealthy over Donald Trump’s tax plan bymore than a two-to-one margin (68 percent vs. 32 percent).

The margin was similarly wide on the question of corporatetaxes: More than 7 in 10 (71 percent) percent of respondents favorClinton’s plan, as compared with 28.53 percent for Trump’s, whenthe name of the candidate proposing the plan is disclosed to theparticipant.

The Woodbridge poll contrasts with broader public opinionsurveys about the candidates’ economic positions andskills. (Photo: AP)

High-priority topics for the next debate

The Woodbridge Wealth survey found that 3 in 10 (31 percent) ofrespondents believe the Department of Labor’s fiduciary rule,finalized last April, is “important enough to warrant discussion atthe next presidential debate.” Other topics that respondents saidthe candidates should address include:

• The Dodd-Frank (Wall Street Reform) Act of 2010 (22 percent)

• Social Security (15 percent) and

• The Wall Street Reform Plan for a new 21st CenturyGlass-Steagall Act (12 percent).

The survey also polled advisors as to alternative assets theymost frequently recommend to affluent clients. By far the mostpopular of the vehicles is real estate at 64 percent. Also favoredalternative solutions are:

• real assets (28 percent)

• hedge funds and private equity (6 percent each), and

• venture capital (4 percent).

Related: Trump economic plan: Roll back regulations

More than 4 in 10 advisors (44 percent) said in theWoodbridge Wealth study that the Federal Reserve should raiseinterest rates by year-end 2016. (Photo: Thinkstock)

Fewer than 1 in 5 advisors (18 percent) said they don’trecommend alternative investments. Fifty-six percent said they planto increase their clients’ allocations in 2017. However, 1 in 5 (19percent) respondants will keep allocations at 2016 levels. Just 4percent plan to decrease their clients’ exposure.

Related: Hillary Clinton proposes small-biz tax cuts

Woodbridge Wealth, which specializes in commercial realestate-backed alternatives, favors the products in part becausethey’re subject to less market volatility and governmentregulations than conventional securities. The solutions also enjoya lower “correlation of returns” (the degree to which twosecurities move in relation to one another) than other investmentproducts.

Among the survey’s additional findings:

• Forty-four percent of respondents said the Federal Reserveshould raise interest rates by year-end 2016. Almost 4 in 10 (38percent) said the Fed shouldn’t. Nearly 1 in 5 (17 percent) areundecided.

• The first 100 days of the new administration should focus oncurbing inflation and bolstering consumer and business spending (44percent); national security issues (35 percent); making Washingtonmore efficient, effective and accountable (12 percent); andimmigration (6 percent).

• 78 percent of respondents said that robo-advisors pose no threatto their practices.

• Making changes to corporate tax rates will have the mostbeneficial impact on the economy (75 percent). Fewer respondentsidentify changes to capital gains tax (10 percent) and SocialSecurity (8 percent).