Quinnipiac: Clinton with big lead in Virginia

A new Quinnipiac University poll gives Democrat Hillary Clinton an 11- to 12-point lead on Republican Donald Trump in Virginia.

Clinton is at 50 percent to Trump’s 38 percent in a two-way race. In a four-way race with Libertarian Gary Johnson and Green Jill Stein, Clinton is at 45 percent, to Trump at 34, Johnson at 11 and Stein at 5.

The polling was done as part of Quinnipiac’s Swing State Poll, which has Clinton ahead of Trump by 10 points in Colorado and three points in Iowa.

“The scary thing for Republicans in the Virginia and Colorado numbers is that they show a possible Hillary Clinton landslide in states that only eight years ago leaned GOP and before that had been GOP strongholds,” said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll.

The big deficits for Trump in Virginia and Colorado can be a daunting challenge for Trump.

“Colorado and Virginia are important swing states.  Faced with these deficits in those states, Trump’s situation is similar to the poker player who must draw to an inside straight flush,” Brown said.

Specific to Virginia, Clinton’s advantage is in her relatively favorability with voters. She is still under water, with 44 percent offering a favorable view, and 50 percent viewing her unfavorably, but she’s at the head of the homecoming court compared to the wildly unpopular Trump. Trump’s split is 29 percent favorable/63 percent unfavorable.

Trump is also suffering from defections among GOP voters, who back Trump by a 79 percent-13 percent margin, but Clinton has the support of 92 percent of Democrats, with 3 percent preferring another candidate.

Clinton leads among independents 43 percent to 37 percent. Trump leads among white voters 48 percent to 41 percent, but Clinton has a commanding lead with non-white voters, at 69 percent to 17 percent for Trump.