HAMDEN–Voters are feeling pretty negative this election season.
In the latest Quinnipiac Poll, it was found that more Americans are picking their candidate in protest of the other candidate, rather than voting for someone they believe in.
For those who say they are voting for Hillary Clinton this November, 54 percent say they are mainly voting against Donald Trump, while 32 percent are voting specifically for Clinton.
Meanwhile, among likely Trump voters, 66 percent are mainly against Clinton, while 23 percent actually support Trump’s campaign.
Overall, Clinton still leads Trump nationally 48 to 43 percent. However, her numbers are down: on August 25, Clinton led 51-41. Meanwhile, if you throw in major third party candidates Gary Johnson, of the Liberatarian Party, and Jill Stein, of the Green Party, Clinton and Trump both lose out. With all four candidates in the mix, Clinton earns 41 percent, Trump 39, Johnson 13 and Stein 4.
More Americans view the two major party candidates negatively than positively. Clinton’s favorability ratings are 40 percent positive and 57 percent negative, while Trump’s are 35 to 59 percent.
“It’s the definition of ‘damned by faint praise,’ a presidential contest where a vote for a candidate is less an endorsement of that candidate than a stinging rejection of his or her opponent,” said Tim Malloy, the assistant director of the QU Poll. “Priority one for Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump as the election looms: lure the cynical, disaffected, downright disgusted electorate into their camp. That’s no mean feat as clouds of distrust loom over both campaigns.”
