Poll: 85% of voters think politician's private life is an important consideration

The results of this week’s The Hill Poll indicate that 85 percent of voters regard the way a politician conducts his or her private life as important to how he or she might discharge public duties. Forty-seven percent regard the candidate’s private life as “very important” and 38 percent say it is “somewhat important” in this regard.

The Hill Poll also suggests that 67 percent of voters feel presidential politics have become dirtier over the past generation, while a mere 4 percent say they have become cleaner. Roughly 1 in 4, or 27 percent, believe the ethical nature of presidential battles has stayed about the same as it was in the past…

The Hill Poll showed a gender disparity on the issue of politicians’ private lives. Fifty-four percent of women view private conduct as “very important” in determining a candidate’s suitability for office. The figure for men is significantly lower, at 39 percent.

Curiously, voters in the highest income band identified in the poll are also much less likely than lower-income voters to view private conduct as very important.