Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton are starting to battle it out in a bid to clinch the White House in 2016.
When it comes to experience, US Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton has the advantage over Republican nominee Donald Trump, according to a newly released Gallup poll.
The May 18-22 poll comes at a time when the two candidates are starting to battle it out in a bid to clinch the White House in 2016, as they are shown in dead heat in an election that could go either way, Xinhua news agency reported.
More than six in 10 Americans say Ms Clinton has the experience it takes to be president - twice as many as say this about Mr Trump, at 31 per cent.
In fact, experience is Ms Clinton's greatest overall strength from among those tested in the poll, and it is Mr Trump's single weakest attribute, Gallup found.
The poll also found that Ms Clinton has a slight edge in views of the candidates' ability to manage the government effectively and whether they care about the needs of people, Gallup said.
But Mr Trump has advantages of his own in Americans' eyes, such as his leadership and ability to confront special interests. Americans are just as likely to say Mr Trump can get things done as to say this about Ms Clinton, Gallup found.
Americans tend to see the two candidates as strong leaders, but ones lacking in honesty and morality, said Gallup.
More than half of American adults believe Ms Clinton can get things done, at 56 per cent, while about half say she would work well with both parties in Washington, at 51 per cent, and that she is a strong and decisive leader, at 51 per cent, Gallup found.
Americans believe Mr Trump can get things done, at 58 per cent, and they are more likely to view him than Ms Clinton as a strong and decisive leader, at 60 per cent -- the latter being the characteristic Mr Trump scores highest on.
And most say Mr Trump is capable of standing up to special interests, at 52 per cent -- more so than for Ms Clinton, at 44 per cent, Gallup found.
The candidates are both viewed as lacking in honesty - only 32 per cent say Ms Clinton displays honesty and trustworthiness, her lowest score on any issue, but no worse than Mr Trump's 33 per cent on this dimension.
The two candidates also both score relatively poorly on having strong moral character, being able to bring about the changes needed in the US and caring about people's needs, Gallup found.