Connecticut Voters Find Presidential Race Too Negative

No matter where they’re from or how long they’ve been going to the polls, voters who talked with NBC Connecticut reporter Leslie Mayes Monday all seemed to feel the same way about the 2016 presidential election season. They said it’s gotten way too negative. 

The morning after Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and Republican nominee Donald Trump faced off in a heated second debate, NBC Connecticut talked to voters in downtown New Haven to get a sense of what Connecticut residents think about the back and forth between the reality star businessman and First Lady turned secretary of state. 

None of the reactions were good. 

“I’m trying to find something positive in it and struggling,” Ken Carlson, of New Haven, said. 

“I think both of them are a joke, completely,” Stephen Dest, of New Haven, said. 

“I don’t like the candidates,” said Willie Davis, of New Haven, who added that his distaste for the candidates might force him to stay home on Nov. 8. 

Sunday’s debate only reinforced the negative views of Elm City residents we talked to, including Generosa Joyner. 

“Hillary and her husband, I don’t want to hear no more about that,” she said. 

Joyner said she plans to vote for Clinton. 

With less than a month to go before the election, some people said the negativity and their overall views about each of the candidates still have them undecided about which candidate to support -- if either. 

“This is the first election where I can’t find a candidate that in good conscience I can vote for. I can’t vote for Trump because I’m an intelligent man. I can’t vote for Hillary because I’m a moral man,” Eric Stockman, of Monroe, said. 

Voters said they never expected to see a day where lewd language about women and the past indiscretions of a president would be the main talking points of a presidential campaign and an entire debate, especially this close to Election Day. 

“What can you say about it? It was just vitriol on both sides” said Debra Simon of Guilford.

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