(Week of 5/11/2013) Questions about the Benghazi attacks have yet to affect Democrats’ willingness to nominate former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for their party’s presidential nomination in 2016. More than half of Democrats in the latest Economist/YouGov Poll say she should be the party’s nominee. Vice President Joe Biden continues to trail far behind the former First Lady and Senator.
There is little difference in Clinton’s overwhelming lead between this poll and one conducted last December. Clinton also ranks first with independents and Republicans, too – though most Republicans (and more than a third of independents polled chose not to weigh in now on the Democratic Party’s 2016 choice.
Overall, Clinton continues to enjoy high popularity: 54% have a favorable opinion of her, while 37% are unfavorable. This is only somewhat less positive than ratings of Clinton in late January, when she stepped down from her role as Secretary of State, and was more popular than she had been at the beginning of her term.
But she may be tarnished by the Benghazi controversy, about which Americans judge her negatively. More disapprove of the way she handled the attack than approve of her performance.
Like the assessment of the President on this question, evaluations of Clinton’s management of the Benghazi attacks are partisan. Independents disapprove 46% to 23%.
Economist/YouGov poll archives can be found here
Photo source: Press Association
