Hillary Clinton, Rand Paul running nearly even in Colorado, Virginia: poll

Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton tops several potential GOP presidential candidates in the swing states of Iowa, Colorado and Virginia, but is also in a virtual tie with Sen. Rand Paul and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker in Colorado and is essentially tied with Mr. Paul in Virginia, where she’s deadlocked with former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.

Mrs. Clinton fares best in Iowa, where the closest Republican, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, trails her by 7 points, 45 percent to 38 percent, in the Quinnipiac poll. She has an 8-point lead over Mr. Paul, 45 percent to 37 percent, and 10-point leads over New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Mr. Bush and Mr. Walker, though she tops out at 45 percent in each match-up.

Forty-nine percent of Iowa voters view her favorably, compared to 40 percent who view her unfavorably. Mr. Huckabee, who won the Iowa caucuses in 2008, was the only Republican whose favorable rating was higher than his unfavorable rating in the Hawkeye state, with a 35 percent/33 percent split.

In Colorado, Mrs. Clinton leads Mr. Paul, 43 percent to 41 percent, and Mr. Walker, 42 percent to 40 percent. Meanwhile, she has a 9-point lead over Mr. Christie, 43 percent to 34 percent, an 8-point lead over Mr. Bush, 44 percent to 36 percent, and a 5-point lead over Mr. Huckabee, 44 percent to 39 percent.

She had a split 46 percent/47 percent favorable/unfavorable rating there — still significantly better than the 26 percent/47 percent split for Mr. Christie and 29 percent/43 percent split for Mr. Bush. A third of voters had a favorable view of Mr. Paul and a third had an unfavorable one, with Mr. Huckabee at a slightly worse 33 percent/34 percent split.

Mr. Bush actually ties Mrs. Clinton at 42 percent in Virginia, and Mrs. Clinton leads Mr. Paul by 2 points, 44 percent to 42 percent. She leads Mr. Huckabee by 3 points, 44 percent to 41 percent; Mr. Christie by 5 points, 44 percent to 39 percent; and Mr. Walker by 5 points, 45 percent to 40 percent.

Mrs. Clinton had a 48 percent/44 percent favorable/unfavorable split in Virginia, compared to 36 percent/35 percent for Mr. Bush, 36 percent/38 percent for Mr. Christie, 31 percent/32 percent for Mr. Paul and 36 percent/36 percent for Mr. Huckabee.

In all three states, at least 54 percent of voters didn’t know enough about Mr. Walker to form an opinion.

A majority of voters in each state said Mr. Bush’s status as the son and brother of two former U.S. presidents makes no difference in their vote, but by at least about a 4-to-1 margin, the voters who said it mattered to them said it would make them less likely to support him for president.

Majorities also said Mrs. Clinton’s being married to a former president wouldn’t make a difference to them, with marginally more people saying that would make them less likely to support her. About three-quarters said the prospect of her serving as the first female president would make no difference in their vote.