Clinton or Trump? Many voters discouraged
HILLARY Clinton and Donald Trump share a defining asset that is fueling support for both in the 2016 presidential race: voters’ animus toward the other candidate.
More than half of registered voters in a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll who said they plan to cast ballots for Mrs. Clinton this fall say their decision is more about opposing Mr. Trump than supporting the likely Democratic nominee. A slightly larger share of Trump backers says the same about their vote for the Republican candidate.
That finding underscores just how discouraged many voters are about the likely choices in a general-election showdown that would pit the two least-popular presidential candidates in modern history in a race already defined by frustration and anger over the status quo.
The WSJ/NBC News poll found Mrs. Clinton leading Mr. Trump, 46% to 43%, among registered voters, down from her 11 percentage-point lead a month earlier. The race has grown tighter in large measure because Republicans are rallying around Mr. Trump.
Clear dividing lines have emerged between Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Trump on what comes down to energy versus experience, the poll suggests.
Mr. Trump starts with big leads over Mrs. Clinton on the question of who would do a better job in handling the economy, protecting the US on trade and dealing with Wall Street. His biggest advantage comes on the question of who would do a better job “changing business as usual in Washington,” a key attribute in a year when 53% of those polled want the next president to bring major change to government.
Mr. Trump’s advantage on economic issues could give him a boost at a time when half of registered voters rank job creation and economic growth among their top-two issues and 61% say they are still feeling some impact from the recession that ended in 2009, including 69% of Trump supporters and roughly half of Clinton backers.
Two-thirds of voters who want to see major changes in the way government operates favor Mr. Trump over Mrs. Clinton. She, in turn, wins a similar share of those voters who prefer a “steady approach.”
Overall, poll participants give Mrs. Clinton the edge on which candidate is looking out for the middle class, who would appoint the best Supreme Court justices and who would deal with issues of concern to women.
The former secretary of state also has big advantages when it comes to foreign policy -- a potential liability for Mr. Trump -- with voters giving her higher marks at this early stage for being able to serve as commander-in-chief and the ability to navigate the world stage.
The Democratic Party’s biggest advantage down the stretch may be structural. President Barack Obama is enjoying a significant uptick in public approval during his final year in the White House, with 51% approving of the job he is doing, the highest tally since his second inauguration in January 2013.