POUGHKEEPSIE – Going into the last weekend before the presidential election, Democrat Hillary Clinton captured 44 percent of likely voters while Republican Donald Trump polled 43 percent. That is according to the latest McClatchy-Marist poll conducted nationally by the Poughkeepsie-based Marist College Institute of Public Opinion.
Gary Johnson has the support of six percent while Green Party candidate Jill Stein polled two percent. Two percent are undecided.
When the same pollsters raised the question of presidential preference in September, Clinton was ahead of Trump by six points, 45 percent to 39 percent. Johnson had 10 percent and Stein had four percent.
The new poll found that Clinton leads Trump 50 percent to 42 percent among those who have already voted, but Trump leads Clinton 44 percent to 40 percent among those who have yet to vote.
“Although Clinton and Trump are separated by the slimmest of margins, the Electoral College can present a very different picture,” said Dr. Lee Miringoff, director of the Marist College Institute. “Close popular votes can, but do not necessarily, translate into tight battles for 270 electoral votes.”
Also being watched, a possible down-ballot fallout. One key local contest is between challengers Zephyr Teachout, a Democrat and Republican John Faso, seeking to succeed retiring Republican Chris Gibson in the 19th U.S. House district.
