Before the nation’s quadrennial popularity contest, new polling shows that both candidates are historically unpopular. And no, it isn’t rigged.
Americans strongly dislike their presidential options but they’ll still show up to vote. If nothing else, 2016 demonstrates the resilience of the national electorate and their corresponding willingness to openly gripe about their plight.
An election that looked more like reality television hasn’t reflected well for either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton. The pair holds the unique honor of being the most unlikable candidates ever. According to Gallup polling, Clinton and Trump have earned 52 and 61 percent unfavorable rankings respectively.
Turnout seems driven not by enthusiasm but cynicism. Ultimately, the fate of the country could hinge on coin flips to determine the lesser of two evils. It’s surprising then that Gallup declined to include other candidates like Cthulhu in their survey.
When put in perspective, the country’s disdain for Clinton and Trump becomes truly remarkable. Even an enduring recession couldn’t drop Jimmy Carter’s favorability below 68 percent. More remarkable, Richard Nixon enjoyed a 76 percent favorability score even in the midst of the Watergate scandal.
Malaise and crooked politics couldn’t compete with the current Clinton-Trump lineup. The two are unparalleled in their ability to illicit the scorn of the American people.
A chorus of jeers met Trump this morning as he walked to his polling place in New York City. And tonight, the majority Americans won’t be celebrating for either candidate. They’ll be cheering that the election is over.
Philip Wegmann is a commentary writer for the Washington Examiner.
