Donald Trump, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, has erased what had been an 8-point deficit to his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in Florida to pull ahead in the state by 3 points, while holding a 2-point edge in Pennsylvania and running even in Ohio, according to polling released Wednesday.
In Florida, Mr. Trump was at 42 percent support to Mrs. Clinton’s 39 percent in the Quinnipiac polling, compared to a 47 percent to 39 percent lead for Mrs. Clinton in a Quinnipiac survey released last month.
In Pennsylvania, Mr. Trump led by 2 points, 43 percent to 41 percent. Last month, Mrs. Clinton had a 1-point , 42 percent to 41 percent, lead.
In Ohio, Mr. Trump and Mrs. Clinton were tied at 41 percent apiece. Last month, they were tied at 40 percent apiece.
“Donald Trump enters the Republican convention on a small roll in the three most important swing states in the country. He has wiped out Hillary Clinton’s lead in Florida, is on the upside of too-close to call races in Florida and Pennsylvania and is locked in a dead heat in Ohio,” said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll.
President Obama carried all three states in both 2008 and 2012. If Mr. Trump wins all three in 2016, plus every other state carried by 2012 GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney, he would win the election.
The surveys showed the additions of Libertarian Party nominee Gary Johnson and Green Party candidate Jill Stein helping Mr. Trump slightly.
In Florida, he was at 41 percent, Mrs. Clinton was at 36 percent, Mr. Johnson was at 7 percent and Ms. Stein was at 4 percent.
In Pennsylvania, Mr. Trump was at 40 percent, Mrs. Clinton was at 34 percent, Mr. Johnson was at 9 percent, and Ms. Stein was at 3 percent.
In Ohio, Mr. Trump was at 37 percent, Mrs. Clinton was at 36 percent, Mr. Johnson was at 7 percent, and Ms. Stein was at 6 percent.
“While there is no definite link between Clinton’s drop in Florida and the U.S. Justice Department decision not to prosecute her for her handling of e-mails, she has lost ground to Trump on questions which measure moral standards and honesty,” Mr. Brown said.
The surveys were conducted from June 30-July 11. The FBI interviewed Mrs. Clinton on July 2 about her email practices, and FBI Director James B. Comey announced on July 5 he would not be recommending charges against her over the private email server she used as secretary of state.
In Florida, the two candidates were tied at 42 percent apiece on who has higher moral standards, compared to an 11-point lead for Mrs. Clinton last month.
She had a 1-point edge on that front in Ohio, 43 percent to 42 percent, compared to an 8-point edge last month.
And she had a 2-point edge in Pennsylvania, 43 percent to 41 percent, compared to a 10-point lead last month.
Majorities of voters in all three states all said Mrs. Clinton is more intelligent and better prepared to be president than Mr. Trump.
But by a 13-point, 50 percent to 37 percent margin, Florida voters said Mr. Trump is more honest and trustworthy — up from a 43 percent to 40 percent lead for him last month.
Mr. Trump also beat out Mrs. Clinton on honesty and trustworthiness by 15 points in Pennsylvania after leading by 4 points last month. And he led on honesty and trustworthiness by 10 points in Ohio after leading by 7 points last month.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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