While the next Presidential race won’t take place until 2016, folks are already handicapping the field. Pollsters are also very busy trying to figure out how the group of potential candidates stack up. There are a number of potential candidates who reportedly are already putting their “ducks in a row,” getting ready to run. A race between Hillary Clinton and Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersesy would be an intriguing 2016 Presidential showdown. According to a new national poll, Hillary would come out on top in such a hypothetical matchup. That’s one of the findings from a survey released last month from Quinnipiac University. American voters were asked about nine possible general election matchups in the next race for the White House.
According to the poll, the former first lady, Democratic Senator from New York and Secretary of State, leads the Republican New Jersey governor 45%-37%. The survey also indicates Hillary would beat Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida 50%-34% and would lead Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, the House budget committee chairman and last year’s GOP vice presidential nominee, 50%-38%. Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute, observed:
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton would start a 2016 presidential campaign with enormous advantages. She obviously is by far the best known and her more than 20 years in the public spotlight allows her to create a very favorable impression on the American people. But it is worth noting that she had very good poll numbers in 2006 looking toward the 2008 election, before she faced a relative unknown in Barack Obama.
If Vice President Joe Biden became the 2016 Democratic Presidential nominee, the poll suggests a much closer general election contest. The Vice President would trail Gov. Christie 43%-40%, but would top Rep. Ryan 45%-42%. The three point margins in both matchups are within the survey’s sampling error. According to the poll, Biden would beat Rubio 45%-38%.
According to the poll, Gov. Christie would lead New York Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo 45%-28%, with Rep. Ryan ahead of Gov. Cuomo 42%-37% and the New York Governor and Senator Rubio deadlocked at 37%. It was pointed out that some Republicans don’t believe Gov. Christie is conservative enough. But I believe that he is the best of the three Republicans tested. In any event, Gov. Christie would be a tough opponent against the Democratic nominee. Another likely candidate Jeb Bush, was not included in the poll. He would likely be a formidable candidate if he decides to run. The former Florida Governor, known as “the smart brother,” is beginning to sound like a man who wants to live in the White House.
Since the next presidential election is still over three years away, lots can happen to change the political landscape. Polls this early in a campaign cycle are often heavily influenced by name recognition. But it’s pretty clear that Hillary Clinton will be the person to beat if she runs. I believe she will run and will be the next President. The Quinnipiac University poll was conducted February 27-March 4, with 1,944 registered voters nationwide questioned by telephone. The survey’s overall sampling error is plus or minus 2.2 percentage points.
Source: politicalticker.blogs.com
