Listen to the reaction when Charlie Crist says he supports Hillary Clinton for her honesty

Former governor of Florida provokes laughs and jeers with his endorsement of a candidate who has struggled to convince voters that she can be trusted

Sometimes it is hard being a Hillary Clinton supporter.

Charlie Crist, the former governor of Florida, found out the hard way when his words of support for the Democratic candidate provoked laughter during an election debate as he campaigns for a seat in Congress.

The trouble came when he was asked why he supported Ms Clinton in her bid to become president.

“I am proud of Hillary Clinton. I think she’s been a very good Secretary of State, a very good senator from the state of New York,” he said.

Not everyone agrees that her record as America’s most senior diplomat was unblemished. But so far, so good.

His woes really began when he praised her integrity.

“The thing I like most about her is she is steady,” he said. “I believe she is strong. I believe she is honest.”

Cue laughter and a smattering of jeers.

Ms Clinton’s honesty has become an important issue in this year's election.

Critics say she has failed to explain why she set up a personal email server during her time as Secretary of State, why her initial accounts of an attack in Benghazi were incorrect and why she failed to disclose the fact she had been diagnosed with pneumonia until she was taken ill in public earlier this month.

Then there is the Clinton Foundation, which has been frequently accused of taking money from world leaders keen to win influence over one of America’s most powerful political couples.

A new poll of higher earners for Bloomberg Politics reinforces the issue, finding that only 25% rated Ms Clinton honest, compared with 26% for Mr Trump.

Doug Usher of the Washington-based Purple Strategies, which conducted the poll, said: “Clinton’s fundamental weakness on trust has been consistent throughout the campaign, and has only been reinforced by events during the campaign.”