And more believe the Clinton and Sanders supported TPP than opposed it
Which major presidential candidates supported the Trans-Pacific Partnership in 2016? The right answer is “no one.” But that’s not how the public in the last Economist/YouGov Poll see it. While many aren’t sure how candidates viewed the trade agreement with 11 other North American and Asian countries, the public believes Donald Trump opposed it, while both of the Democrats, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, favored the agreement.
All three major candidates (Clinton, Sanders, and Trump) took positions against the agreement in 2016, but Americans appear to remember only Donald Trump’s opposition. Clinton is mostly viewed as in favor – and so is Sanders, though by only a narrow margin. Only 14% of the public say they have heard “a lot” about TPP; 44% say they have heard “nothing at all.”
The public is split on TPP: one in four are favorable towards it, one in four are not. Democrats are more favorable than Republicans about the agreement. The President took the US out of the agreement by signing as executive order three days after he took office. Americans are as likely to disapprove of that action as they are to approve of it.
Now, however, the Administration is looking into rejoining TPP. That gets a positive review from Republicans and Democrats alike.
