system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: Why is it that Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump seem to be the leading presidential candidates when it seems that public opinion of both is very low?
gpt
First, this is how it always is this early in campaign season. Anyone with a little bit of name recognition immediately is at the forefront, regardless of their quality as a candidate or likelihood to do well long term.

But more to the point, it's because we don't cast negative votes.

If 20% of the people love you, but 80% hate you, you don't get a score of -60. You get a score of +20. Those 80% who hate you are going to be divided up among a bunch of other candidates, or will just be left undecided. +20 is enough to be the frontrunner early on in primary season.

Note that general elections are different. A negative opinion often converts into a vote for the other guy. So now, those 80% who hate you vote for the one leading opponent and you easily lose.