Polls: Clinton with solid lead in Virginia

Two new polls give Hillary Clinton a working lead over Donald Trump in Virginia on the eve of the Republican National Convention.

Clinton leads Trump by nine points, 44 percent to 35 percent, in a poll from NBC News, the Wall Street Journal and Marist University, and by seven points, 44 percent to 37 percent, in a poll from Fox News.

The NBC News/WSJ/Marist poll surveyed voters from July 5-11. The Fox News poll was taken from July 9-12.

Both candidates registered high unfavorable in the polls. Even Clinton, in the lead, was in the tank on favorability overall, with a 37 percent-58 percent negative split in the NBC News/WSJ/Marist poll and a 43 percent-56 percent negative split in the Fox News poll.

Trump’s splits were 29 percent-65 percent in NBC News/WSJ/Marist and 35 percent-63 percent in Fox News.

Both candidates seem to be shoring up their party bases. According to the Fox News poll, which offered more detail in the demographic categories, Clinton leads Trump 83 percent-4 percent among Democrats, and Trump leads Clinton 83 percent-6 percent among Republicans.

Two more notes from the demo breakdowns:

• Fox News asked voter preferences on honesty and trustworthiness, and voters were split at 32 percent apiece for Clinton and Trump. This is an area that the Trump team would expect to hold a wide margin with the focus of Republicans on the former Secretary of State’s email issues.
• Voters were asked which candidate would do a better job on the economy, and Trump had a narrow 47 percent-43 percent lead on Clinton on this one. Again, this would be an area that the Trump side would expect to have a bigger lead.