Virginians are expressing a huge support for Hillary Clinton around three weeks away from election, as the Democratic candidate now leads her rival Donald Trump by 15 points.
The latest findings of Christopher Newport University say Clinton’s lead has more than doubled from 7 points in late September to 15 points now, as Trump gets bogged down in successive scandals about his sexual advances.
In a five-ballot equation, Clinton now leads Trump, 44-29 percent.
“It’s crystal clear why the Trump campaign pulled staff out of Virginia this week,” said Dr. Quentin Kidd, Director of the Watson Center that led the poll.
“The Access Hollywood tape, along with Trump’s 2nd debate performance and the turmoil that followed, has fundamentally made Virginia impossible for him to win.”
Trump has rejected allegations of assaulting women and has also claimed that the election is being rigged by the media bias against him.
The Watson Center survey was conducted Oct. 11-14 among 809 likely Virginia voters, entirely after the release of the 2005 tape and the St. Louis debate. The survey has an overall margin of error of +/-3.6 % at the 95% level of confidence.
“While Trump’s support has sunk dramatically, Clinton’s has increased only slightly sinceearly October. Her gain from 42 percent to 44 percent continues to indicate that while voters are rejecting Trump, they are having a hard time embracing Clinton,” the Center said.
However, some of her growth in Clinton’s support comes from Republicans moving from Trump to her.
“Clinton’s strong showing in Northern Virginia and her 24-point lead statewide among women block any path Trump might have to win in Virginia,” said Dr. Rachel Bitecofer Assistant Director of the Watson Center.
“Although Trump continues to lead among white voters generally, and in South-Southwest Virginia, that isn’t nearly enough to counter his weakness in the Golden Crescent that runs from Northern Virginia through Richmond to Hampton Roads.”
Clinton’s support among Independents has grown from 21 percent in late September to 39 percent in mid-October. Independents continue to move away from both Trump and Libertarian nominee.
Among men, Clinton’s support has grown 5 points since September, and she now leads Trump among male voters, 37-32 percent. Clinton’s support among military householdsis up 6 points since September, and she leads Trump among military households for the first time, 38-32 percent. In populous Northern Virginia, Clinton has gained 10 points since September while Trump lost 6 points, and she leads there, 55-21 percent.
According to the survey that pattern is similar in Richmond/Central and Hampton Roads.
Only in South-Southwest Virginia has Trump’s position strengthened, up from 47 percent to 48 percent., the poll finds.
