Quinnipiac Poll: Clinton's Margin Narrows in Key Swing States

[former9thward]

Bush leads in FL and Paul leads in PA.

As Hillary Clinton prepares to launch her presidential campaign within the next month, a new poll finds her vulnerable in three critical swing states.

Voters in Florida, Ohio, and Pennsylvania question the former secretary of state’s trustworthiness and honesty, according to a new Quinnipiac University survey taken after the controversy surrounding Clinton’s use of a private email server for government communications. Her favorability ratings are down in all three states.

Also in all three states, Clinton’s previous leads have shrunk. In diverse and delegate-rich Florida, former Gov. Jeb Bush leads Clinton, 45 percent-42 percent. Clinton edges Sen. Marco Rubio, 46 percent-44 percent, and leads Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, considered another early frontrunner, 46 percent-40 percent.

Pennsylvania, a key state that has been elusive for Republicans recently, could be competitive this cycle, with Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul narrowly topping Clinton, 45 percent-44 percent. Clinton beats Bush by six percentage points, Walker by five and Rubio by four in the Keystone State.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2015/03/31/poll_clintons_margin_narrows_in_key_swing_states_126105.html

[sharp_stick]

1. 20 months out

and they're already on with the polls. I wonder how many "What the hell are you talking about" responses they got?

[former9thward]

4. We are in a 24/7 news society now.

So news has to be manufactured to fill space and time. Polls now are of interest to political junkies but they have little meaning for the actual election. They are mainly name recognition.

[AZ Mike]

2. I'm not at all enthusiastic about Hillary, but....

....it's not as if the GOP field - once it all settles out - is going to endear itself to the general voting public and overtake small margins.

Even I suspect Democratic enthusiasm will surge after the primaries if Hillary is the nominee.

[1StrongBlackMan]

6. Or even if HRC is not the nominee ...

Democratic enthusiasm will likely be there regardless.

The question is whether there will be significant enthusiasm among the largely disengaged electorate that made up a (President) Obama coalition.

[1StrongBlackMan]

3. Yayyy! Right? ...

If we can get HRC's numbers down far enough (relative to republicans), we are certain to see a proper progressive in the Whitehouse!

[DemocratSinceBirth]

5. There seems to be some small slippage...

Let's see if it's an anomaly or a trend...

[1StrongBlackMan]

7. I suppose that slippage would be significant ...

if A) there was an alternate (presumed) Democratic candidate; and, B) that "slippage" was accruing to that alternate (presumed) Democratic candidate.

Otherwise, this is just a "Yayyy, we're losing ground to the republicans" ... or maybe, "Yayyy, we're gaining ground" thread; neither, sentiment means what some think it means.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

8. It's unlikely to be A or B and although you didn't call the option immediately following it C

If folks are subscribing to the C option that is sad and disturbing...

Back to the poll... I will await other polls before making any grand inferences, especially polls a bit closer to the election, given the tight margins...

Also, FL is a tough nut...BHO carried it by a scant .09% in 012...

[MaxRobes]

11. It's a trend

[DemocratSinceBirth]

13. One poll doesn't make a trend, and if you believe it does there is nothing I can do....

One poll doesn't make a trend, and if you believe it does there is nothing I can do to disabuse you of that notion.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

9. Wait until people *really* start to get to know the GOPers running

Is anybody here scared of any of them beating Hillary Clinton (or, really, any Democrat)?

[former9thward]

10. Anyone can beat anyone in an election.

In this country we call it a 'landslide' when someone wins by a 5% margin. I am old enough to remember when Democrats celebrated Reagan winning the R nomination in 1980. They just knew "a grade B actor" could not win. Well, sometimes you should be careful what you wish for...

[Jamaal510]

12. I'm not exactly scared myself,

but I'm a little wary of the apathy and ignorance of many Americans when it comes to current events and politics. Voter turnout in this country isn't as good as it could be, and among people who vote, the GOP is basically guaranteed 40%.