A poll from Quinnipiac University released on Tuesday found that Donald Trump leads in a Republican presidential primary race in Connecticut, at 34 percent. But he trails leading Democrats in general election matchups.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton leads the race for the Democratic nomination with 37 percent, which is down from 50 percent in a March 12 survey by Quinnipiac. U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont has 25 percent, and Vice President Joe Biden has 18 percent, with 12 percent undecided.
Biden has yet to announce whether he’ll run for president, but his favorability rating is the best of any presidential contender. He’d also be the top vote-getter in a general election.
Dr. Ben Carson gets 14 percent of Republican primary votes in the state. Carly Fiorina has eleven percent; U.S. Senator Marco Rubio has seven percent; and Florida Governor Jeb Bush and U.S. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas each have six percent, with nine percent are undecided. No other candidate tops four percent.
Clinton is at the top of the “no way” list for Democrats, as 16 percent said they would “definitely not” vote for her. For Republicans, Trump is at the top of the “no way” list, as 25 percent said they would “definitely not” vote for him, followed by Bush at 22 percent.
“Connecticut Republicans apparently want an outsider, as Donald Trump, Ben Carson and Carly Fiorina lead the field and get a combined total of 59 percent of the Republican primary vote,” said Quinnipiac University Poll Director Douglas Schwartz. “Establishment candidates such as Gov. Jeb Bush and Sen. Marco Rubio are in single digits. Secretary Hillary Clinton does especially well among Democratic women, ahead of U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders by about two to one. Sanders leads Clinton slightly among very liberal Democrats.”
The Democratic candidates debate on Tuesday night in Las Vegas beginning at 9:00 pm EST, broadcast on CNN. It’s the party’s first debate of the 2016 campaign. The rivalry between Clinton and Sanders will be at the forefront.
Three other low-polling candidates will be looking for a breakout moment in front of the prime-time audience: Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley, former Virginia U.S. Senator Jim Webb, and former Rhode Island governor Lincoln Chafee.
Former president Bill Clinton will visit Connecticut this week to campaign for Hillary Clinton. He also plans to be at UConn in Storrs on Thursday to accept the 2015 Thomas J. Dodd Prize starting at 5:30 pm at the Jorgensen Auditorium.
The Republican party’s next debate is set for October 28 in Boulder, Colorado.
Diane Orson contributed to this report, which includes information from The Associated Press.
