Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s unfavorable ratings are rising at a favorable time for one of her challengers.
Former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley plans to enter the presidential race May 30.
A Gallup poll released Wednesday found more voters having an opinion of Clinton and a steeper increase in her unfavorability rating than her favorability rating.
It’s been nearly a month since Clinton announced her candidacy via video and began touring early states with carefully choreographed sit-downs with selected voters. Press engagement has been nil.
Forty-six percent of those polled by Gallup view Clinton unfavorably while 50 percent hold a favorable opinion. Just four percent have no opinion, leaving the candidate with little wiggle room to make a first impression.
In March, 75 percent of Republicans viewed her unfavorably. That number is now up to 90 percent.
The unfavorability rating went up three points among Democrats and independents.
Bill Clinton, however, has higher ratings: 59 percent of Americans view himself as favorably and 38 percent unfavorably. He’s lost favorability points over the past year.
O’Malley is currently last in Democratic nomination polls. The only other challenger included in polling who has actually announced a presidential run is Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).
O’Malley made three campaign stops in Manchester and Durham, N.H., yesterday.
Clinton’s campaign said at the time of her video launch that she would hold a more formal campaign kickoff in mid-May.
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