Top reason Americans will vote for Trump — ‘just to stop Hillary’

New York, May 6

The US presidential election may turn out to be one of the world’s biggest un-popularity contests.

Nearly half of American voters who support either Democrat Hillary Clinton or Republican Donald Trump for the White House said they would mainly be trying to block the other side from winning, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Thursday.

The results reflect a deepening ideological divide in the US, where people are becoming increasingly fearful of the opposing party, a feeling worsened by the likely matchup between the New York real estate tycoon and the former first lady, said Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics.

“This phenomenon is called negative partisanship,” Sabato said. “If we were trying to maximise the effect, we couldn’t have found better nominees than Trump and Clinton.” Trump has won passionate supporters and vitriolic detractors for his blunt talk and hardline proposals, including his call for a ban on Muslims entering the US, his vow to force Mexico to pay for a border wall, and his promise to renegotiate international trade deals.

Former Secretary of State Clinton’s appeal to voters seeking continuity with President Barack Obama’s policies, has won her a decisive lead in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, but finds strong opponents among those disillusioned by what they see as lack of progress during Obama’s tenure.

The poll asked likely voters about the primary motivation driving their support of either Trump or Clinton heading into the general election on November 8.

About 47 per cent of Trump supporters said they backed him primarily because they don’t want Clinton to win. Another 43 per cent said their primary motivation was a liking for Trump’s political positions, while 6 per cent said they liked him personally.

Similar responses prevailed among Clinton supporters. About 46 per cent said they would vote for her mostly because they don’t want to see a Trump presidency, while 40 per cent said they agreed with her political positions, and 11 per cent said they liked her personally.

The April 29-May 5 poll included 469 likely Trump voters and 599 likely Clinton voters. It has a credibility interval of 5 percentage points. To be sure, voters’ opinions could change over the next several months. Candidates will be feted at party conventions, will square off in a series of national debates, and will be targeted by millions of dollars worth of advertisements.

But the negative atmosphere is likely to reign, says Alan Abramowitz, an Emory University professor who has studied the rise of negative partisanship in America. Both campaigns probably will decide their best strategy is to work even harder to vilify each other, he said. “It’s going to get very, very negative,” he added.

That would play into a longer-term trend.

A 2014 study by Pew Research Center found that Democrats and Republicans have shown increasingly negative views towards each other over the past few decades. In 2014, more than a quarter of Democrats, and more than a third of Republicans, viewed the opposition as “a threat to the nation’s well-being”. Barbara Monson, 59, a Republican from Murray, Utah, is among them. “No matter who the Republican (nominee) is, I would have voted for him,” poll respondent Monson said of her support for Trump. “It’s never going to be Clinton. Never.”

Jo-Anne Michaud, 69, an independent voter from Abingdon, Maryland, told Reuters she would try to keep an open mind. Although she has voted for both Republicans and Democrats in the past, she feels repelled by Trump. “I used to like the guy when I watched his show,” Michaud said. “But I just hate the way he talks now. I don’t think he’s a nice person deep down inside.” — Reuters

Who will back Hillary and why?

• 46% Because they don’t want to see a Trump presidency
• 40% Agree with her political positions
• 11% Like her personally

I used to like the guy (Trump) when I watched his show. But I just hate the way he talks now. I don’t think he’s a nice person deep down inside. — Jo-Anne Michaud from Abingdon, Maryland

Who will support Trump and why?

• 47% Because they don’t want Hillary Clinton to win
• 43% Like him for his political positions
• 6% Like him personally

No matter who the Republican (nominee) is, I would have voted for him (Trump). It’s never going to be Clinton. Never. — Barbara Monson from Murray, Utah