Swing State Poll: Clinton and Trump Neck-and-Neck in Pa.
A Quinnipiac University poll found the contest between presumptive presidential nominees Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump too close to call in Pennsylvania.
In Pa., 42 percent of participants said they favor Clinton, while 41 percent picked Trump. Pennsylvania is one of three swing states detailed in the poll, along with Florida and Ohio. Since 1960, no candidate has won the election without securing at least two of the three states.
The Swing State Poll found Clinton to have a close lead in Florida. The candidates are in a dead heat in Ohio, according to the poll.
Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders beat Trump in all three states in head-to-head matchups. Sanders topped Trump 47 to 40 percent in Pennsylvania.
With third-party candidates included in the poll, Clinton received 38 percent of support while Trump received 36 percent.
Voters in each of the three states said they believe Clinton is “better prepared” and “more intelligent” than Trump and that she has “higher moral standards.” Voters in Pennsylvania found Trump “more inspiring.”
Clinton leads in the poll among the state’s participating women at 50 percent to 34 percent, while Trump leads at 50 percent to 33 percent among men. White voters tended to lean Republican at 47 percent to 38 percent, while “non-white” voters leaned Democratic at 66 percent to 15 percent.
Adam Bonin, a Philadelphia attorney, tweeted that sample numbers for the poll are off. Bonin said the poll assumes fewer Democrats and African-Americans will vote than historically have.
Anyone citing Qpac PA poll today should know its sample is off: it's 37% D, 33% R; 2012 exits were 45%/35%. QPac is 8% AA; 2012 was 13%.
— Adam Bonin (@adambonin.bsky.social) (@adambonin) June 21, 2016
The QPac poll assumes that way fewer Democrats and African-Americans will vote than historically has been the case.
— Adam Bonin (@adambonin.bsky.social) (@adambonin) June 21, 2016
Both candidates received negative favorability ratings. State voters said they believe Trump would be more effective against ISIS but said Clinton would be better suited for an international crisis.
In perhaps the most important category, Pennsylvania voters said they would rather invite Trump to their barbecue.
“Sure, Trump would be more fun at a barbecue and might crush ISIS more efficiently, but given it’s a tossup on leadership, in the broad overview, Trump comes up short, ” said Tim Malloy, assistant Director of the Quinnipiac University Poll.
The poll was conducted via landline and cellphone interviews.
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