Hillary and Trump tied on eve of big debate
ROANOKE, VIRGINIA: Donald Trump likes to boast about public opinion polls, but only when he is ahead. While Democratic rival Hillary Clinton is still leading in the national average of the polls, the Republican presidential nominee has closed the gap and beaten her in some new ones just in time for this election’s most spectacular face-off – the first presidential debate on Monday.
“Tremendous polls keep coming in,” Trump told supporters straight off the bat at a rally here in a state that will play a significant role in determining the outcome of the 2016 race. “A brand new Rasmussen poll has us up 5 points nationwide.”
It put Trump ahead with 44% support to 39% for Clinton, who continues to lead the national average of polls compiled by RealClearPolitics — but by a narrowing margin that stood at 2.5% the day before the debate.
The narrowing lead between the two presidential nominees sets the stage for a high-stakes debate on Monday
WASHINGTON POST–ABC NEWS POLL
FiveThirtyEight’s compilation of polls, which uses a different methodology, had nearly the same result with Clinton ahead by 2 points, 46.7% to Trump’s 44.7%. However, it put Clinton’s chances of winning the White House at 58.2% to
Trump’s 41.8%.
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