Latest Polls: Clinton-Trump Margin Under 2 Percent, Virginia, Pennsylvania Declared ‘Toss Ups’
With less than a week until November 8 — U.S. election day — the race for the White House is characterized by a razor-thin lead of less than two percent by Democratic nominee and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton over Republican nominee Donald J. Trump.
In the latest polls, Clinton, Trump, Libertarian Gary Johnson, and Green Party nominee Dr. Jill Stein each continue to maintain their relative standings of voter support, as reported by Real Clear Politics, for polls including third-party candidates. Clinton leads by 1.9 percent with 45.3 percent of voter support; Trump is given 43.4; Johnson, 4.6; and Stein 2.1.
In the latest Real Clear Politics Clinton-Trump only polls, the former Secretary of State’s lead has been reduced to just 1.7 percent, leading the Republican 47.0 to 45.3 in national averages. One day ago, Clinton’s lead over Trump was observed at 2.2 percent, as reported by the Inquisitr.
Three of the Clinton-Trump only polls included data up to November 1: LA Times/USC Tracking puts Trump ahead by six percent. Economist/YouGov sees Clinton leading by three percent. IBD/TIPP Tracking sees the candidates tied.
Nate Silver’s FiveThirtyEight currently gives Donald Trump a 32.3 percent chance of a November 8 win. Clinton is given a 67.6 percent chance of taking the White House. This time yesterday, odds of Clinton winning were observed at 71.2 percent.
FiveThirtyEight sees the Democratic Party with a 68.9 percent chance of winning control of the U.S Senate and the Republican Party with a 31.1 percent chance of keeping it.
Yesterday, Facebook, Inc. (NASDAQ: FB) reported earnings per share of $1.09, beating the Wall Street analyst estimate consensus of $0.97 by 12.4 percent. The social networking giant also reported revenues that beat estimates and grew by 56 percent year over year, as reported by Street Insider.
Despite this, FB stock fell $8.96, or 7.05 percent, in after-hours trading on the news. Recently, before news of a renewed FBI investigation into emails connected to Hillary Clinton, stock in other technology names like PayPal Holding, Inc. (NASDAQ: PYPL) and Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ: NFLX) rallied upon markets learning of strong financial reports, as reported by the Inquisitr.
The performance of the Facebook stock in the after-hours session yesterday could be an indication of investors’ disappointment with the company’s financial results, or an indication of investors’ disappointment with the latest presidential polls.
Perhaps adding to the uncertainty seeming to surround the election race, two new states have been added to the Real Clear Politics “toss up” list. Pennsylvania returns after leaving for several days and is joined by new addition Virginia. Other states currently declared toss-ups include Ohio, Florida, North Carolina, Colorado, Nevada, Iowa, New Hampshire, Arizona, and Maine’s second congressional district.
In Virginia, Real Clear Politics poll averages have Clinton leading Trump by 4.7 percent. Each of the latest polls, with data from October 30, have Clinton leading by four, five, or six percent.
In Pennsylvania, Real Clear Politics poll averages have Clinton leading Trump by 4.9 percent. Each of the latest polls, with data from November 1, have Clinton leading by two, four, or five percent.
FiveThirtyEight sees Hillary Clinton leading in Maine, Florida, Colorado, Nevada, New Hampshire, Virginia, and Pennsylvania, and Donald Trump leading in Ohio, North Carolina, Iowa, and Arizona. As recently as last week, the elections analysts saw the former Secretary of State leading in Arizona, North Carolina, and Ohio.
“If he [Trump] wins Florida and Ohio, which is entirely possible,” Cenk Uygur with The Young Turks said of the current state of the 2016 presidential race yesterday, “then she [Clinton] must, must, must hold Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Colorado.”
Uygur spoke of Clinton’s lead dwindling to 2.4 percent in Colorado, after having enjoyed a significant lead over past weeks. The TYT host expressed seeming exasperation that “this is where we are today.”
[Featured Image by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images]
