It’s Harder for Clinton Supporters to Respect Trump Backers Than Vice Versa

Given the rancorous tone and often highly personal nature of this year’s presidential campaign, supporters of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump might be expected to hold similarly negative views of one another. But a new Pew Research Center survey finds that Clinton backers–particularly highly educated ones–have more difficulty respecting Trump supporters than the other way around.

Nearly six-in-ten registered voters who back Clinton (58%) say they have a “hard time” respecting someone who supports Trump for president; 40% say they have “no trouble” with it. Nearly the opposite is true among Trump supporters, with 56% saying they have no trouble respecting someone who backs Clinton and 40% saying they do have trouble with it.

Among Clinton supporters, those with a college degree have a harder time respecting someone who prefers Trump than those who have not graduated from college. About two-thirds (66%) of college graduates who back Clinton say they have a hard time, compared with a narrower majority (53%) among Clinton supporters who have not completed college.

White women who back Clinton also are particularly likely to say they have difficulty respecting those who favor Trump: 68% say this, compared with a smaller share of white men (59%) and fewer nonwhites.

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