Elections

Clinton-Trump battle too close to call in four swing states

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally, Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2016, in Reno, Nev., one of the too close to call swing states.
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally, Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2016, in Reno, Nev., one of the too close to call swing states. AP

What matters most in determining who wins the election are the swing states, and new polling released Thursday shows that in four states, the race is too close to call.

New surveys by Emerson College put Hillary Clinton ahead by 2 over Donald Trump in Arizona and tied in Nevada.

In New Hampshire, Clinton’s ahead by 2 in a new Suffolk University Political Research Center poll.

Florida’s a split decision, as Emerson has Trump up 1 while the University of North Florida puts Clinton ahead by 3.

The news was better for Clinton in Michigan, where she is up by 11, according to a new Detroit Free Press/WXYZ poll. Clinton lost the Democratic primary to Sen. Bernie Sanders, Ind.-Vt., and frustration with Obama administration trade policy was seen as giving Trump an opening.

He had closed to within 3 last month, but since the Sept. 26 debate Clinton has surged further ahead.

“The race is much more settled now no matter what demographic group you’re looking at,” Bernie Porn, the pollster for Lansing-based EPIC-MRA, which took the poll, told the Free Press’ Todd Spangler. Porn said it was “hard to imagine” Clinton losing the state unless she has a health or some other issue.

“ I think the perceptions of Trump are pretty baked in,” Porn said.

David Lightman: 202-383-6101, @lightmandavid

This story was originally published October 6, 2016 at 3:02 PM with the headline "Clinton-Trump battle too close to call in four swing states."

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