Hillary Clinton holds single-digit lead in new Massachusetts primary poll
Even though Bay Staters view Bernie Sanders more favorably.
Hillary Clinton maintains a single-digit lead in Massachusetts, one of the handful of states the Bernie Sanders campaign hopes to be competitive in Tuesday.
According to a Suffolk University poll released Sunday evening, the former secretary of state has the support of 50 percent of likely Democratic primary voters in the Bay State, leading Sanders’ with 42 percent. Eight percent said they were still undecided.
The poll surveyed 500 likely voters from February 25 to February 27 and had a margin of error of 4.4 percent.
Clinton’s lead, while notably closer than the last time Suffolk polled in November, is in line with other recent polls from WBUR and Public Policy Polling, which showed the race within the margin of error.
While Clinton leads as voters first choice for the nomination, Sanders is more popular among Massachusetts Democratic primary voters. The Vermont senator is viewed 71 percent favorably to 16 percent unfavorably, compared to Clinton’s 67 percent favorable-23 percent unfavorable splits.
As Suffolk pollster David Paleologos told The Boston Globe, the race may swing on the participation of unenrolled voters. While Clinton has a 22 percentage point lead among Democratic, Sanders leads by 17 percent among unenrolled or independent voters.
“It really depends on a decision that independent voters are going to make on Monday night,’’ Paleologos said. “People could jump out of the Republican primary and say, ‘I’m going to send a message to Hillary Clinton and vote for Bernie.’’’
The Globe editorial board recently published an editorial urging Massachusetts independents to vote in the Republican primary to cast a vote against Donald Trump.
Suffolk’s Republican primary poll Saturday showed the billionaire real estate mogul doubling up his closest opponent, with 43 percent of the vote to Florida Sen. Marco Rubio’s 20 percent and Ohio Gov. John Kasich’s 17 percent.
For his part, Kasich’s positive campaign has not only earned him favorable ratings among Massachusetts Republicans, but also among Democrats. While Trump and Rubio have a net unfavorable rating among likely Bay State Democratic primary voters, according to Paleologos, the Republican Ohio governor is viewed 42 percent favorably to 27 percent unfavorably.
And while the majority of those polled think Clinton will be elected president, the poll found more belief in Trump’s November chances than in Sanders’.
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Both Democratic candidates are scheduled to make campaign stops Monday in Massachusetts. Clinton will appear at organizing events in Springfield and Boston, while Sanders will hold a rally that evening in Milton.
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