Poll: Hillary Clinton Leads GOP Field in Ohio, Ties John Kasich

Hillary Clinton tops all Republican contenders for president in Ohio, except for Governor John Kasich. A new Quinnipiac University poll shows Clinton holds double digit leads over the top GOP potential candidates. She leads Jeb Bush 47 percent to 36 percent; Chris Christie 47 percent to 34 percent; Rand Paul 48 percent to 36 percent and Mike Huckabee 49 percent to 34 percent. Clinton leads Kasich by one point, 44 percent to 43 percent, a statistical tie. The Quinnipiac survey shows Clinton leading GOP contenders in Pennsylvania, while tying Jeb Bush in his home state of Florida. Peter Brown, assistant director for the poll, says the numbers help explain why Hillary Clinton has employed a slower, less aggressive ramp-up to a possible presidential campaign. "Although history suggests that once she becomes a full-fledge candidate and part of the nastiness that comes with politics these days those numbers may drop some. She begins the campaign in very strong shape with voters and not just Democrats," said Brown. In the three big swing states she is getting 86 to 93 percent of Democrats, 36 to 54 percent of independent voters and even up to 15 percent of Republicans.” In Ohio, the survey gives Clinton high favorability marks where she tops everyone GOP candidate and is tied with Kasich. "Ohio Gov. John Kasich is in a statistical dead heat with Mrs. Clinton among the home folks, who re-elected him by roughly 2-1 last November," Brown said. "But the 2014 election in Ohio was the aberration in a state that has been THE one to watch.