Hillary, Trump suffer from high unpopularity among likely voters: Poll

Washington, Aug 26: More than half of the likely voters, or 53 per cent, said they had "strongly unfavourable" views of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, while 46 per cent said the same about his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, according to a national poll released on Thursday (Aug 25). [Trump defends calling Hillary 'bigot']

Hillary now holds 10-point lead over Trump, 51 per cent to 41 per cent, among likely voters in a two-way race, the Quinnipiac University poll finds, Xinhua reported. [Trump's rise part of worldwide right-wing advance: Hillary]

The New York billionaire leads Hillary among white men, 59 per cent to 32 per cent and voters who are 50 years of age and older, while Clinton has the support of women, 60 per cent to 36 per cent, and those younger than 50, the poll shows, noting Trump has only 29 per cent support of millennials aged from 18 to 34, and 15 per cent of nonwhites.

Unpopularity rate remains high for both the two main parties' candidates though the latest results are a little bit better than what was issued earlier this month.

The former Secretary of State is viewed negatively by 59 per cent of voters and Trump by 64 per cent, according to the NBC News and the Survey Monkey Weekly Election Tracking Poll issued on August 16.

Trump has recently soften his harshest positions on illegal immigrants and even apologised for causing pain to those he had attacked. However, it is deeply suspected if the change can continue and improve his performance in the polls.

Meanwhile, criticism has mounted for days over the allegations that donors to the Clinton Foundation enjoyed an easy access to Clinton during her time in the State Department.

The position change of Trump seems to be too convenient while the allegations over the Clinton Foundation have dealt a new blow to the Democratic nominee, leaving small room for them to swiftly enhance their popularities among voters, local analysts saidw.

IANS