CNN
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If there’s one factor that American voters overwhelmingly agree on, it’s that this yr’s presidential election presents a stark selection. Within the newest CNN poll conducted by SSRS, 91% of registered voters say they see essential variations between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, dwarfing even the 77% of voters who said last fall that there have been important divides between the Democratic and Republican events. Even among the many so-called “double haters” – these with unfavorable views of each Biden and Trump – solely 20% say that the 2 candidates are just about the identical.
To get a broader picture of how voters view the stakes of the election, CNN requested voters to call the only most essential distinction they noticed between the 2 candidates. Because the outcomes spotlight, the contrasts that almost all stick in voters’ minds are sometimes not about coverage points in any respect. Whereas some voters talked about the subjects that always high voters’ lists this yr when requested to choose their most essential points – the financial system, immigration or a dedication to democracy – others have been extra targeted on character and private traits, with honesty, skill to deal with the job and perceived motivations among the many traits most talked about as distinguishing components.
Amongst those that noticed important variations between Biden and Trump, essentially the most ceaselessly talked about distinctions have been honesty and integrity (17%), skill to deal with the job or psychological health (15%), love for the nation or patriotism (10%), perceived self-serving or egotistical motivations (10%) and effectiveness or efficiency in workplace (8%). One other 8% talked about defending democracy or the Structure, with 7% mentioning immigration and 6% the financial system. Voters’ solutions to the questions usually spanned a number of subjects, and a not insignificant share provided vaguer solutions, with some merely noting that every candidate’s beliefs or insurance policies have been completely different.
Backers of every candidate provided considerably completely different characterizations of the race. Voters who supported Biden in a head-to-head matchup towards Trump usually solid the excellence by way of character. Amongst those that noticed important variations between the candidates, 31% talked about honesty or integrity, with about 18% citing self-serving or egotistical motivations, usually on Trump’s half, and 15% noting Trump’s felony conviction or the opposite fees presently going through the previous president.
“Trump is a low down mendacity scoundrel who solely cares about himself; Biden, I feel, actually does take care of the American individuals,” wrote one Biden supporter who responded to the ballot, a South Carolina voter in her 70s.
One other Biden supporter, a Florida voter in her 20s, wrote, “One is a convicted felon. If I’d by no means date a felon why would I vote one for president[?]”
Polling this yr, together with this survey, has persistently discovered considerations about democracy rating excessive as an election challenge for Biden supporters. Many additionally see assist for democracy because the essential defining issue between him and Trump: 16% of Biden supporters who see variations between the 2 candidates cited democracy and the Structure as essentially the most significant distinction. Others raised considerations about fascism or stated they noticed Trump as uniquely harmful to the nation.
“Biden helps and defends our structure, democracy and rule of regulation whereas Trump actively works to undermine and destroy our structure, democracy and rule of regulation,” a Californian in his 70s wrote. “Trump desires to take away all checks on his energy in order that he may have unchecked absolute energy to do no matter he desires to do to whomever he desires to do it.”
Trump’s supporters, against this, most ceaselessly characterised the distinction between the 2 candidates as one in every of psychological health, or skill to deal with the job, subjects talked about by about 24% of those that noticed essential variations between Trump and Biden.
“Joe Biden is the primary President in my lifetime who’s mentally unfit to be our President,” wrote one Texan in his 70s who stated he’s dedicated to supporting Trump this fall. “For my part he has no [idea] on what’s going on on this nation and isn’t able to making a sound determination with regard to one of the best curiosity of the USA.”
One other 15% cited love for the nation, patriotism or America First sentiments, with 11% mentioning effectiveness or efficiency in workplace.
“Trump noticed that as individuals on this nation of USA, wanted assist and he went out of his approach to assist,” wrote one Connecticut Trump supporter in her 30s. “I didn’t like Trump at first however as soon as we received Joe, we now have solely suffered.”
Roughly 11% of Trump supporters who noticed variations between the 2 candidates talked about the financial system or immigration, respectively. Each subjects have reliably topped Trump supporters’ lists when requested to decide on the election points they discover most essential.
“Beneath [T]rump my gasoline and groceries have been cheaper,” wrote one New York girl in her 20s. “Beneath Biden I can’t afford to reside.”
Some voters described the distinction between Biden and Trump in phrases that have been lower than flattering to both candidate.
“They’re each terrible however in very alternative ways,” wrote a New Mexican in his 30s who stated he plans to assist unbiased candidate Cornel West. “Biden must be compelled into retirement and Trump must be put away in jail.”
Some voters have been equally disparaging even when they’d opted to assist one of many main-party candidates.
“Biden is a senile, outdated, idiot. Trump is a lout, however has a transparent thoughts,” responded one Virginia man in his 70s, who stated he was supporting Trump largely as a way of opposing Biden.
And a Californian in his 20s who stated he backed Biden principally as an anti-Trump vote wrote, “One is a coherent liar, one is an incoherent truther.”