Poll: Voters See Moderators Giving Clinton a Helping Hand

Voters think moderators in the upcoming presidential debates will give an advantage to Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump, according to a new Rasmussen Reports poll.

Across the country, 1,000 voters were asked if moderators will help Clinton, Trump or be unbiased:

• Favor Clinton: 46 percent;
• Favor Trump: 6 percent;
• Unbiased: 32 percent;
• Not sure: 15 percent.

Most Republicans and almost half of independent voters think moderators will try to help Clinton, while most Democrats think the moderators will try to be unbiased. Over three-quarters of Trump supporters think the moderators will assist Clinton, while the majority of Clinton supporters think the moderators will be unbiased.

Among Trump supporters:

• Favor Clinton: 78 percent;
• Favor Trump: 2 percent;
• Unbiased: 12 percent;
• Not sure: 8 percent.

Among Clinton supporters:

• Favor Clinton: 20 percent;
• Favor Trump: 12 percent;
• Unbiased: 56 percent;
• Not sure: 12 percent.

Rasmussen performed similar polls in the past two presidential elections.

In 2012, more than two-thirds of Republicans and a majority of unaffiliated voters thought debate moderators were biased, less than a third of Democrats said the same. In 2008, only one-fifth thought the moderator would favor Barack Obama, while six percent thought John McCain would be helped, and the most thought the moderate would remain neutral.

Trump accused Monday night's moderator, NBC News anchor Lester Holt, of being "unfair" and a Democrat during an interview on Fox News, though Trump also said he had "great respect" for the anchor. Holt is a registered Republican, according to Time Magazine. 

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