Poll: Hillary’s Numbers Slide Dramatically

According to the latest ABC News/Washington Post poll, Hillary Clinton’s favorability rating with the public has plunged in the last three weeks. Three weeks ago, 50% of adults viewed her unfavorably, but the latest poll shows 56% of respondents feeling that way.

Clinton is still viewed more unfavorably than Donald Trump; 63% of those polled viewed him unfavorably, but among registered voters, they were virtually tied, as 59% of voters saw Clinton unfavorably and 60% thought the same of Trump.

Both candidates have surpassed the previous high for unfavorability in an ABC/Post poll: George H. W. Bush’s 53% in July 1992 before he lost to Bill Clinton.

Clinton’s plunge in popularity seems to be more prevalent among some of her core constituencies: women, post-graduates, Hispanics and liberals. The negative feelings seem to be spurred by her private email server abuse and possible conflicts of interest in Clinton Foundation fundraising while she served as secretary of state.

Trump has risen just a tad in popularity from his abysmal ratings in June, when he posted a 29%-70% favorable/unfavorable rating. His unpopularity with blacks has dropped from an unfathomable 91% in early August to 84% in the current poll.

Clinton’s favorable-unfavorable marks with women last month were 54%-43%; they are 45%-52% now. Among voters with post–graduate degrees, she dropped from 60%-39% in early August to 47%-51% percent now, which matches where she was in July. Among moderates she dropped from 50%-48% to 41%-56%; among liberals she plunged from 76% favorable to 63% favorable. Among nonwhites she has dropped from 73% to 62% favorable, most importantly a drop from 71% favorable to 55% among Hispanics. Among independents Clinton has lost 8%.

Trump’s unpopularity was largely unchanged, but there was one significant change; although he dropped six points among men he gained seven points with women.