Trump vs. Clinton? How their supporters feel about the future, government cover-ups and more

FORBES

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(FORBES)

Whenitcomestomediacoverageofthe2016presidentialelection,twocandidates,DonaldTrumpandHillaryClinton,haveallbutdominatedtheheadlines.Butweknowlessabouttheirsupporters.

AtQualtrics,weranasurveytofindoutwhothesepeopleare.ItturnsoutTrumpsupportersaremorelikelytosaytheydrinkPepsi,attendchurchregularly,andbelievethegovernmentregularlycoversupthingspeopleshouldknowabout.Clintonsupportersaremorelikelytoreportdrivingforeigncars,beingunmarried,andbelievingthe2016presidentialracewillbeclose.AndbothTrumpeteersandClintonianswereequallylikelytobelievealienshavevisitedtheearth.

Whatelsedidwediscover?

TheFutureOneofthemostcommonrefrainsinpoliticsisthattomorrowwillbebetterthantoday.ButmostTrumpsupportersdon’tfeelthatwayrightnow.Only35%ofTrumpsupporterssaytheyarebetterofftodaythantheywereayearago.Thatnumbergoesupto52%ofClintonsupporters.

Andwhatabouttheirchildren?Thereisn’tmuchoptimismthereamongsupportersineithercamp.Whenaskediftheybelievethatkidstodaywillbebetterofffinanciallythantheirparents,only28%ofClintonsupportssaidyes.ForTrumpsupporters,fewerthan1in5thinktoday’skidswillbebetteroffthantheirparents—andnotbecauseallofTrump’ssupportersaresuperrich.Theyaren’t.Lessthan15%makeover$100,000ayear.