Clinton and Trump tied at 41 points each in Ohio, poll finds

The race for president in Ohio remains a tie between Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump, according to a poll released Wednesday by Quinnipiac University, but Clinton is losing ground in two other key states.

The 8-point lead Clinton had in June in Florida is wiped out and now Trump holds a three point lead. A month ago in Pennsylvania, Clinton had a 1-point edge but now Trump holds a 2-point advantage.

“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,” said Peter Brown, assistant poll director, in a written release.

If the election were held today, 41 percent of Ohio voters would back Clinton and 41 percent would vote for Trump, the poll found.

Trump gets higher marks for honesty and moral standards while Clinton is viewed as more intelligent and better prepared to be president.

In all three states, voters say they agree that “we need radical change.” Quinnipiac polls in Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania because since 1960 no presidential candidate has won the White House without taking at least two of these states.

In polling Ohio voters, Quinnipiac found disenchantment:

59 percent say they’re falling further behind economically;

73 percent say the old ways don’t work and it’s time for radical change;

59 percent say foreign trade agreements have hurt them personally;

79 percent say public officials “don’t care much what people like me think.”

A majority of Ohio voters also say the government has gone too far in helping minority groups but 72 percent agree that prejudice against minority groups is a big problem in the country.

Voters were surveyed via cell and land lines between June 30 and July 11. The poll in Ohio has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.2 percentage points while the margin of error in the Pennsylvania and Florida surveys is 3.1 percentage points.

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