Hillary Clinton, John Kasich fare well in new polls

[applegrove]

Hillary Clinton, John Kasich fare well in new polls

By/ Rebecca Kaplan/ CBS News

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/hillary-clinton-john-kasich-fare-well-in-new-polls/

"SNIP...........

Clinton got a major boost from last week's Democratic debate, according to a new CNN/ORC poll. In interviews conducted before the debate, 45 percent of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents said they would vote for Clinton in the Democratic primary, compared to 37 percent who said they would vote for Sanders. After the debate, however, the percentage who said they would vote for Clinton jumped to 60 and dropped to 27 for Sanders.

Overall, Clinton leads Sanders with 50 percent support to his 34 percent support. That is slightly down from a CNN/ORC poll in late November that showed Clinton with 58 percent and Sanders with 34 percent.

Voters think she is slightly better able to handle economic issues (47 percent for Clinton, 39 percent for Sanders) but far more able to tackle foreign policy (72 percent for Clinton, 15 percent for Sanders) and the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) (63 percent for Clinton, 18 percent for Sanders). They also give her an edge on handling gun policy issues, with 51 percent choosing Clinton and 27 percent handling Sanders.

Her outlook isn't so rosy when it comes to head-to-head matchups with potential GOP candidates. She barely edges out Republican Donald Trump - 49 percent picked Clinton and 47 percent picked the businessman, within the poll's margin of error. Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida and Ted Cruz of Texas both beat her by narrow margins (Cruz leads 48 percent to 46 percent and Rubio leads 49 percent to 46 percent). They both beat her by 12 points among independent voters, although she is even with Trump among that group.



.............SNIP"

[Tortmaster]

1. Good news about a month out from Iowa.

As for the question of how Secretary Clinton does against Republicans, it really doesn't matter what the national vote polls indicate, especially this far out. What really matters are specific polls in Colorado, Virginia, North Carolina, Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Arkansas, Kentucky and Louisiana.

Moreover, if the most likely Democratic combination occurs, a Clinton and Castro ticket, then I would bet on a wave election. Georgia, for example, is 9.2% Hispanic. Texas is over 30% Hispanic. Who knows what could happen there.

As for Senator Sanders doing slightly better than Secretary Clinton in some head-to-head matchups, I see it like the age-old question, which is better, Star Trek or Next Generation. Probably half the population don't care or haven't thought of that question before.

[Thinkingabout]

2. Hillary is doing well in the polls, her debate efforts have put her high in the polls.

I knew she would do well in the debates. She has been meeting and talking to people on the trail, she knows how to be personal.

[applegrove]

3. Yes. She comes across as warm and very, very

well informed. The fact that Bernie is doing so well against her goes to how great he is too. We don't have nutters or creeps or charlatans in our nomination race. I just wish there were more debates on the Democratic side.

[MADem]

4. Kasich has been plugging away quite steadily in NH, I guess he is doing the same in IA.

I was laughing at his ads months ago...but they've done what they're supposed to do, which is breed familiarity. Clinton needs to keep running like she is 20 points behind. IA and NH are not her wheelhouses--she is not rural nor is she gunny. But she should keep plugging, nonetheless.

As for general election polls, they are just meaningless this far out. Some candidates have not been vetted at all with the general public. They don't know the backstory, they don't know the history, the oddball things that suddenly become "important" (cough) to some voters. You hear it all the time "I could never vote for someone who (fill in limp excuse)." Then, when they found out their candidate barbecued and ate a puppy, or something, they find a way to make an excuse. It's all foolishness.

I do think this'll be done by Super Tuesday. I sure hope so.

[KingCharlemagne]

5. i want it to last until California, so my primary vote will actually mean something. Senator

Boxer is also on the ballot, which is reason enough to get off my duff. But for once I'd like to know my primary vote for POTUS matters.

[MADem]

6. I thought Barbara Boxer was retiring....????

http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/senate-races/228896-sen-boxer-announces-retirement-plans

Who's running for her seat? I admit I have been lax in following that primary.

[KingCharlemagne]

8. Ouch! It is I who have been lax and i really

appreciate the heads up. Doing a mad scramble to get myself up to speed. Maybe my primary vote matters more than I first gave it credit.

ETA: Two excellent Democratic candidates have announced so far: Atty General Kamala Harris (Awesome!) and U.S. Rep. Loretta Sanchez (Also Awesome!). Our state has an embarrassment of riches.

[MADem]

9. I remember hearing about her retirement at the start of the year

and fretting about it. She WILL be a loss. I don't think CA will see as good as her for a while, certainly.

[KingCharlemagne]

10. please see my edited post above. All is not lost - nt

[MADem]

11. Thank you for that--a brain cell just fired and I DID remember they were running!

I haven't focused on that race at all. You're right--an embarassment of riches! Either will step up and TCB for the state.

[Generic Brad]

7. We have three viable candidates, unlike the GOP

I will be proud to vote for our Highlander candidate (because there can be only one) in the general election.