According to the recent poll conducted by the Pew Research Center, a quarter of Americans hold negative views of both the Republican and Democrat US presidential candidates in the lead-up to the November elections.
This marks the highest number of voters with unfavorable opinions of both candidates in at least three decades.
The survey found that 25% of respondents view President Joe Biden and his main rival, Republican frontrunner Donald Trump, unfavorably.
Additionally, 36% of respondents have a favorable view of Trump but not Biden, while 34% have a favorable view of Biden but not Trump.
This increase in ‘double hater’ voters is the highest since the 1988 election and nearly double the percentage from the 2020 election when Biden and Trump first competed against each other.
The rise in negative partisanship is cited as a significant factor contributing to the decline in favorability ratings of major party candidates, with ratings becoming more negative among members of the opposing party compared to previous decades.
The poll was conducted from May 13-19, prior to the outcomes of high-profile criminal trials involving Trump and Hunter Biden.
Trump was found guilty of falsifying business records in May, while Hunter Biden was found guilty of violating federal gun laws in June.
Both candidates have denied any wrongdoing. The 2024 presidential campaign has been marked by intense contention, with leading candidates trading accusations of causing irreparable harm to the country and questioning each other’s suitability for office.
