Clinton continues to climb in polls, opens up 6-point lead over Trump

Hillary Clinton is still gaining momentum following her debate performance last week. In a new Politico/Morning Consult poll out Monday, the Democratic presidential nominee leads her Republican rival, Donald Trump, by 6 points in a four-way race, 42 percent to 36 percent. When third-party candidates Jill Stein and Gary Johnson are taken out of the equation, Clinton's lead on Trump grows by 1 point, 46 percent to 39 percent. In the same poll taken immediately after the debate, Clinton led by 3 points, 41 percent to 38 percent; before the debate, Trump led by 1 point.

Trump suffered what Politico called a "particularly tough" week on the campaign trail last week. The poll indicated his remarks about former Miss Universe Alicia Machado gaining weight didn't do him any favors with women, with 55 percent saying the comments gave them a "less favorable view" of the Republican candidate, and 43 percent saying it made them "less likely to support Trump," Politico reported.

Clinton's lead in this poll, however, is more dramatic than in polling averages. The Real Clear Politics polling average shows her ahead just 2.3 points in a four-way race, and 2.5 points ahead in a head-to-head matchup.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up