WASHINGTON — In any other election year, more than half the country holding an unfavorable impression of a candidate for president would be cause for alarm.
This is not a normal year.
Fifty-five percent of Americans say they have a negative opinion of Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton in the latest AP-GfK poll. But that’s not nearly as bad as how they view the leading candidate for the Republican nomination, Donald Trump. His unfavorable rating stands at an unprecedented 69 percent.
The negative feelings for both are a harbinger of a general election contest that’s shaping up to be less about voters supporting the candidate of their choice, and more about their picking the one they dislike the least.
“I don’t really feel like either one is that trustworthy,” said Devin Sternadre, 26, a student from northeastern Ohio. “Most of the elections that have happened in the past I’ve felt strongly about a candidate, and I just don’t this time.
“But yeah, if it was held today I guess I would vote Clinton,” he said, with a deep sigh. “I just wish there were more choices.”
Democratic strategists say Trump’s deep unpopularity has alleviated some of their concern over views of Clinton. While 55 percent of Americans have a “somewhat” or “very” unfavorable impression of the former secretary of state, that’s about the same number as those who have a “very unfavorable” opinion of Trump.
Clinton’s rating is also slightly better than Republican candidate Ted Cruz: Fifty-nine percent say they have an unfavorable view of the Texas senator. Clinton’s Democratic primary rival, Bernie Sanders, is at just 39 percent unfavorable, but he trails far behind Clinton in the delegate battle for the Democratic nomination.
Asked if she needed to improve her public image, Clinton told reporters Friday that she has worked to win over voters in the past, as when she ran for Senate in New York.
“Just remember, when I was secretary of state my approval rating was the highest of any public official. Now what’s the difference? Whenever I’m doing a job, people approve of my job. When I seek the job, when I compete for the job, then there’s a big rush by, you know, Republicans and interests who don’t agree with my values and my vision for the country, to just pile on,” Clinton said. “I’ve been there, I know that, I’m not worried about it.”
As the campaign moves toward the general election, Democrats argue, the dynamic will shift from being a referendum on Clinton’s character to a choice between her and a Republican opponent. If that Republican is Trump, Democrats see an opportunity to unify their own party behind Clinton and make inroads with independents and Republicans.