Hillary Ahead of Trump in Polls But Voters Like Neither of Them According to Polls

Hillary Ahead of Trump in Polls But Voters Like Neither of Them According to Polls
Author

MP Report

Release Date

Friday, June 17, 2016

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The 2016 United States presidential election has been divisive, but Americans agree on something: they really don't like Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, according to one of the latest public opinion polls.

In a Washington Post-ABC poll released Wednesday, both Trump and Clinton received their lowest favorability ratings of the 2016 election. The poll surveyed 1,000 registered voters — not necessarily likely voters — by phone from June 8 to June 12.

The mass shooting in Orlando, which left 49 dead, was committed while the poll was being conducted, but the poll did not address that shooting or how it may have affected the results. The margin of error for the poll was plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.

Almost everyone has developed an opinion on Trump this election, and most people don't like him. Seventy percent of registered voters said they have an unfavorable impression of the presumptive GOP nominee compared to 29% with a favorable impression. Only 1 percent of the 1,000 polled had no opinion on Trump.

The numbers look even worse for Trump when broken down by different demographic groups. Only one group has a net favorable impression of Trump: registered Republicans. Among Republicans, Trump had a favorability rating of 65%.

Even when broken down by ideology Trump has a net unfavorable rating among self-identifying conservatives. Only 47% of conservatives have a favorable impression of Trump. Trump fared far worse among liberals (11%) and moderates (26%).

The only positive outlook for Trump supporters is that some people sampled in the poll may not vote come November.

As bad as Trump's numbers are, Hillary Clinton shouldn't be celebrating. The presumptive Democratic nominee also has a net unfavorable rating. Fifty-five percent of registered voters said they have an unfavorable impression of her compared to 43% with a favorable impression. Just 2% have no opinion of Clinton.

That being said, Clinton stacks up well against Trump in many areas. A higher percentage of registered Democrats like Clinton than registered Republican like Trump. Clinton scored a 75% favorability rating among her own party, compared to Trump's 65% among Republicans.

Male registered voters — regardless of race, age and whether they went to college or not — give Trump a higher favorability rating than Clinton. And white registered voters who did not graduate college — men and women combined — favored Trump, too.

Although both presidential candidates were viewed unfavorably, more people have responded positively to how Clinton has handled to the mass shooting in Orlando — which left 49 dead — in a recent CBS News poll.

In the CBS News poll, 36% approve of Clinton's response compared to 34% that disapprove and 30% who don't know. For Trump, only 25% of people approve of his response compared to 51% that disapprove and 24% that don't know.

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