New polls show Hillary Clinton gaining momentum in Pennsylvania

Hillary Clinton appears to be pulling away in Pennsylvania. Three recent polls of the Quaker State released in the last 24 hours have consistently shown the Democratic presidential candidate with comfortable leads over her Republican rival, Donald Trump.
In a Monmouth University poll published Tuesday, Clinton claimed a lead in the double digits, with 50 percent of likely Pennsylvania voters backing her and 40 percent backing Trump. That's a 2-point bump from the last time the poll was taken in August, when Clinton led Trump 48 percent to 40 percent.
In another poll released Monday by Franklin and Marshall College, Clinton held a 9-point lead among likely voters, 47 percent to 38 percent, and an even larger 12-point lead among registered voters. When the poll was last taken, in September, Clinton's lead was 7 points among likely voters and just 4 percent among registered voters.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

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.
Finally, a Quinnipiac University poll out Monday showed Clinton with a 4-point edge over Trump in Pennsylvania, winning 45 percent support to Trump's 41 percent. That lead is within the poll's margin of error of 4.2 points, however, and unlike the other polls, the Quinnipiac result is actually a slight dip for Clinton; in the previous iteration of the poll, released in early September, she led Trump by 5 points.
The RealClearPolitics polling average shows Pennsylvania generally skewing toward Clinton, with her carrying a 5.4-point lead over Trump across an average of state polls. If that lead sticks, it makes Trump's electoral math a bit tricky: As Politico's Matthew Nussbaum reported, if Trump doesn't win Pennsylvania, he'd have to carry Florida, Ohio, North Carolina, Iowa, Nevada, and New Hampshire if he even wants to tie Clinton. Right now, RealClearPolitics polling averages only show Trump leading in Ohio and Iowa.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
July 5 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Saturday’s political cartoons include an extrajudicial detainment camp, 'alligator Alcatraz', and tax cuts for billionaires.
-
5 explosively funny cartoons about the 4th of July
Cartoons Artists take on liberty and justice for all, a terrifying firework, and more
-
Jeff in Venice: a "triumph of tackiness"?
In the Spotlight Locals protest as Bezos uses the city as a 'private amusement park' for his wedding celebrations
-
Judge blocks Trump's asylum ban at US border
Speed Read The president violated federal law by shutting down the US-Mexico border to asylum seekers, said the ruling
-
Thai court suspends prime minister over leaked call
Speed Read Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has been suspended, pending an ethics investigation
-
Senate passes GOP megabill after Alaska side deal
The pivotal yes vote came from Sen. Lisa Murkowski, whose support was secured following negotiated side deals for her home state Alaska
-
Trump sues LA over immigration policies
Speed Read He is suing over the city's sanctuary law, claiming it prevents local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration authorities
-
Obama, Bush and Bono eulogize USAID on final day
Speed Read The US Agency for International Development, a humanitarian organization, has been gutted by the Trump administration
-
The last words and final moments of 40 presidents
The Explainer Some are eloquent quotes worthy of the holders of the highest office in the nation, and others... aren't
-
Senate advances GOP bill that costs more, cuts more
Speed Read The bill would make giant cuts to Medicaid and food stamps, leaving 11.8 million fewer people with health coverage
-
Canadian man dies in ICE custody
Speed Read A Canadian citizen with permanent US residency died at a federal detention center in Miami