- The Washington Times - Monday, August 8, 2016

Hillary Clinton has jumped out to a 13-point lead over Donald Trump among likely voters nationwide, according to a Monmouth University poll released Monday that showed Mr. Trump has some ground to make up in unifying Republicans around his presidential candidacy.

Mrs. Clinton, the Democratic nominee, had a 50 percent to 37 percent lead over her GOP rival, Mr. Trump, in a four-way contest in the poll, with Libertarian Party nominee Gary Johnson at 7 percent and Green Party candidate Jill Stein at 2 percent.

The poll was conducted Thursday through Sunday. A Monmouth University poll conducted right before the Republican and Democratic conventions last month had given Mrs. Clinton a 2-point, 45 percent to 43 percent, lead over Mr. Trump among likely voters, with Mr. Johnson at 5 percent and Ms. Stein at 1 percent.

“The dust is starting to settle on the tag-team conventions, with the net advantage going to Clinton,” said Patrick Murray, director of the independent Monmouth University Polling Institute.

Mrs. Clinton is getting support from 92 percent of Democrats — up from 88 percent in July and 85 percent in June.

Mr. Trump, meanwhile, is getting support from 79 percent of Republicans — about in line with where he was in July (81 percent) and June (79 percent).

The survey was released on the same day that former CIA operative Evan McMullin announced he was mounting a long-shot White House run as a conservative alternative to Mr. Trump.

Mr. Trump did have a 2-point, 32 percent to 30 percent lead, over Mrs. Clinton among independents, with Mr. Johnson at 16 percent and Ms. Stein at 4 percent.

But last month, Mr. Trump had held 9-point, 40 percent to 31 percent, edge over Mrs. Clinton among independents, with Mr. Johnson at 9 percent and Ms. Stein at 3 percent.

Among 10 “swing” states that were decided by less than 7 points in 2012, Mrs. Clinton held an 8-point, 42 percent to 34 percent, lead over Mr. Trump.

Analysts say that a polling bounce can be expected for Mrs. Clinton coming out of the Democrats’ convention, and other post-convention surveys have shown her with the edge in key battleground states as well.

A separate Susquehanna Polling and Research survey released Monday showed Mrs. Clinton with a 9-point, 46 percent to 37 percent, lead over Mr. Trump in Pennsylvania, with Mr. Johnson at 7 percent and Ms. Stein at 3 percent.

Head-to-head, Mrs. Clinton had a 10-point, 47 percent to 37 percent, lead over Mr. Trump.

• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.

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