Both Candidates Among Lowest Rated in Modern Elections
Currently, slightly more voters have a favorable (50%) than unfavorable (45%) opinion of Barack Obama. Though there are still more than three months to go before the election, Obama’s current favorability ratings compare poorly with the final pre-election ratings for previous Democratic candidates. Not since Michael Dukakis in 1988 has a Democratic candidate gone into the election with favorability ratings as low as Obama’s are today.
Romney faces a more daunting challenge, as more voters say they have an unfavorable (52%) than favorable (37%) opinion of him. The only prior presidential candidates to be viewed negatively going into the election were George H.W. Bush in October 1992 and Bob Dole in October 1996.
Both Candidates Among Lowest Rated in Modern Elections  | Oct  | Oct  | Oct  | Oct  | Oct  | Oct  | July  | 1988  | 1996  | 2000  | 2004  | 2008  | 2012  | 1992  | Democratic candidates  | 68  | Democratic candidates  | 56  | 56  | 54  | 50  | 48 46  | 45  | Infavorable  | 40  | 39  | 38  | 28  | Unfavorable  | Dukakis  | Clinton  | Clinton  | Kerry  | Obama  | Obama  | Gore  | Republican candidates  | 58  | 56  | 54  | 54  | 54  | 52  | 51  | Republican candidates  | 43  | 43  | 42  | 40  | Favorable  | Unfavorable  | GHWB  | GHWB  | Dole  | GWB  | GWB  | McCain  | Romney  | PEW RESEARCH CENTER July 16-26, 2012, Based on registered voters Oct 1992 and Oct 2000 data from Gallup, 