NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — While Democrat Hillary Clinton leads Republican Donald Trump by 10 points in Virginia, according to a newly released Wason Center for Public Policy poll, it appears to be Libertarian Gary Johnson who is winning support among Millennial voters.
The most recent poll numbers show Virginia voters prefer Clinton over Trump, 48 – 38 percent.
“But among all five candidates who will be on the Nov. 8 ballot, the tally is Clinton 39, Trump 33 and Johnson 15,” a Wason Center for Public Policy spokesperson said. “Green Party nominee Jill Stein and independent Evan McMullin each take 3 percent.”
The poll’s margin of error is +/-3.9 percent.
“Clinton’s lead over Trump in Virginia is strong,” Dr. Quentin Kidd, Director of the Wason Center, said. “It is not only built upon her own partisan identifiers, but also on a very strong showing from vote-rich Northern Virginia, a large gender gap, and stronger support than Democrats usually get from college-educated white voters and white women.”
Clinton is leading among younger Virginia voters (18-34 years old), the poll found.
“[Younger voters] overwhelmingly prefer Clinton over Trump in a two-way choice, 52-30 percent,” the Wason Center spokesperson said. “When the full ballot is considered, though, many of those Millennial voters flock to the Libertarian. Clinton still leads, with 34 percent, but Millennials take Johnson (27) over Trump (23).”
More than half of the voters polled (54 percent) said Clinton could not be trusted with classified information.
Additionally, more than half of the voters polled (53 percent) said Trump was a racist.
“That more than half think that Donald Trump is a racist is astounding,” Dr. Rachel Bitecofer, Assistant Director of the Wason Center, said. “That tells you all you need to know about why a diverse state like Virginia is beginning to fall out of reach of the Trump campaign.”
Summary of Key Findings
1. Clinton leads Trump, 48-38 percent, in head-to-head ballot test.
2. Among all 5 candidates on Virginia ballot, Clinton leads Trump, 39-33 percent, with Libertarian Gary Johnson taking 15 percent of the vote.
3. Clinton’s lead is built upon strong support from women and college-educated voters in Northern Virginia.
4. A majority of voters say they think Trump is racist; a majority say Clinton cannot be trusted with classified information.
5. Asked which candidate would be a better Commander-in-Chief, voters prefer Clinton, 50-40 percent, but among military voters Trump leads, 48-39 percent
