Picking up support from independent voters in a new poll, Hillary Clinton holds the lead over Donald Trump in battleground states Colorado, Florida and Pennsylvania and ties in Ohio.
Quinnipiac University’s “Swing State Poll” released Monday showed Mrs. Clinton, the Democratic nominee, ahead by 8 points in Colorado, 4 points in Florida and 6 points in Pennsylvania.
She tied Mr. Trump, the GOP nominee, at 45 percent in Ohio.
“Obviously the allegations by a number of women about Donald Trump’s behavior have taken a toll among some of those who had been in his column,” said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll.
The survey was the latest evidence that Mr. Trump’s run was hobbled by the release of a 2005 videotape in which he boasted that his celebrity status allowed him to kiss and fondle women he meets, followed by nine women coming forward to say he did it to them.
“Of particular importance are the Clinton leads in Florida and Pennsylvania. Trump probably can’t win if he loses one of them, and he’s toast if he loses both. In addition, Trump’s lead in Ohio, his best big swing state, is now gone,” said Mr. Brown.
He said that Mr. Trump’s best hope at this point was to deliver a “knockout win” in the final presidential debate Wednesday in Las Vegas.
“Once the Wednesday debate is over, the last three weeks of the campaign will be fought by competing turnout machines and TV commercials,” Mr. Brown said. “Many observers believe Clinton has the superior ground game and money edge to dominate the airwaves.”
In the poll, Mrs. Clinton topped Mr. Trump in Colorado by 45 percent to 37 percent, in Florida by 48 percent to 44 percent, and in Pennsylvania by 47 percent to 41 percent.
Mrs. Clinton had an advantage with independent voters in each of the swing states in the poll.
In Colorado, the former secretary of state led with independent likely voters by 38 percent to 34 percent. In Florida, her lead with independents was 42 percent to 39 percent. Independent voters in Pennsylvania broke for Mrs. Clinton by 43 percent to 36 percent.
In Ohio, independent voters shifted from having backed Mr. Trump by 19 points in a previous poll to a virtual tie — 41 percent for Mr. Trump and 40 percent for Mrs. Clinton.
• S.A. Miller can be reached at smiller@washingtontimes.com.
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