The presidential election is only months away, and the candidates from each major party are uniquely unpopular. According to a February 2024 New York Times/Siena College poll, 54% of Americans have an unfavorable view of former president Donald Trump, a Republican, and 59% of Americans have an unfavorable view of President Joe Biden, a Democrat.
While most voters are not upbeat about an electoral rematch between Trump and Biden, negative views of the two candidates are especially concentrated within certain demographic groups. (Here is a look at Biden’s approval rating in every state.)
Using polling data from public opinion research company Morning Consult, 24/7 Wall St. identified which Americans are most likely to dislike both Trump and Biden. We reviewed polling data on the share of voters within specific demographic groups who dislike both major party candidates. The 12 demographic groups on this list fall into one of four specific categories: gender, age, political ideology, and political affiliation.
For each demographic cluster, we also reviewed data on the share of voters who disliked both candidates in each of the last two presidential elections — 2020, when Biden ran against Trump, then the incumbent candidate, and 2016, when Hilary Clinton ran against Trump.
Dissatisfaction with both candidates is highest among American women, with 58% identifying as so-called “double haters.” In 2020, 53% of women had unfavorable views of both candidates, and in 2016, only 51% did. Generationally, Baby Boomers are the least likely to view either candidate positively, followed by Gen Xers and then Millennials.
In the political ideology category, independent voters are the least likely to have favorable views of either Trump or Biden, with 41% of the demographic disliking both candidates. For comparison, 31% of Republicans and 29% of Democrats do not like either candidate.
Widespread dissatisfaction has created opportunities for third party candidates to siphon votes from both Biden and Trump. This year, independent presidential hopefuls include Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Cornel West. Still, if the election were held today, only about 10% of the electorate would not vote for a Republican or Democrat, according to Morning Consult. (Here is a look at how Biden compares to Trump on the most important issues.)
Political affiliation: Democratic voters
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- Democrats as a share of all Americans with unfavorable views of both major party candidates in 2024: 29%
- Democrats as a share of all Americans who had unfavorable views of both major party candidates in 2020: 31%
- Democrats as a share of all Americans who had unfavorable views of both major party candidates in 2016: 21%
Political affiliation: Independent voters
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- Independents as a share of all Americans with unfavorable views of both major party candidates in 2024: 41%
- Independents as a share of all Americans who had unfavorable views of both major party candidates in 2020: 50%
- Independents as a share of all Americans who had unfavorable views of both major party candidates in 2016: 49%
Political affiliation: Republican voters
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- Republicans as a share of all Americans with unfavorable views of both major party candidates in 2024: 31%
- Republicans as a share of all Americans who had unfavorable views of both major party candidates in 2020: 19%
- Republicans as a share of all Americans who had unfavorable views of both major party candidates in 2016: 30%
Generation: Gen Z
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- Gen Zers as a share of all Americans with unfavorable views of both major party candidates in 2024: 15%
- Gen Zers as a share of all Americans who had unfavorable views of both major party candidates in 2020: 14%
- Gen Zers as a share of all Americans who had unfavorable views of both major party candidates in 2016: 2%
Generation: Millennials
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- Millennials as a share of all Americans with unfavorable views of both major party candidates in 2024: 24%
- Millennials as a share of all Americans who had unfavorable views of both major party candidates in 2020: 33%
- Millennials as a share of all Americans who had unfavorable views of both major party candidates in 2016: 27%
Generation: Gen X
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- Gen Xers as a share of all Americans with unfavorable views of both major party candidates in 2024: 25%
- Gen Xers as a share of all Americans who had unfavorable views of both major party candidates in 2020: 23%
- Gen Xers as a share of all Americans who had unfavorable views of both major party candidates in 2016: 25%
Generation: Baby Boomers
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- Baby Boomers as a share of all Americans with unfavorable views of both major party candidates in 2024: 36%
- Baby Boomers as a share of all Americans who had unfavorable views of both major party candidates in 2020: 27%
- Baby Boomers as a share of all Americans who had unfavorable views of both major party candidates in 2016: 38%
Gender: Men
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- Men as a share of all Americans with unfavorable views of both major party candidates in 2024: 42%
- Men as a share of all Americans who had unfavorable views of both major party candidates in 2020: 47%
- Men as a share of all Americans who had unfavorable views of both major party candidates in 2016: 49%
Gender: Women
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- Women as a share of all Americans with unfavorable views of both major party candidates in 2024: 58%
- Women as a share of all Americans who had unfavorable views of both major party candidates in 2020: 53%
- Women as a share of all Americans who had unfavorable views of both major party candidates in 2016: 51%
Ideology: Liberal
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- Liberals as a share of all Americans with unfavorable views of both major party candidates in 2024: 25%
- Liberals as a share of all Americans who had unfavorable views of both major party candidates in 2020: 38%
- Liberals as a share of all Americans who had unfavorable views of both major party candidates in 2016: 21%
Ideology: Moderate
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- Moderates as a share of all Americans with unfavorable views of both major party candidates in 2024: 37%
- Moderates as a share of all Americans who had unfavorable views of both major party candidates in 2020: 30%
- Moderates as a share of all Americans who had unfavorable views of both major party candidates in 2016: 32%
Ideology: Conservative
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- Conservatives as a share of all Americans with unfavorable views of both major party candidates in 2024: 38%
- Conservatives as a share of all Americans who had unfavorable views of both major party candidates in 2020: 25%
- Conservatives as a share of all Americans who had unfavorable views of both major party candidates in 2016: 41%
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