Florida poll: Clinton leads Trump by 6 points

Democrat Hillary Clinton leads GOP presidential rival Donald Trump by 6 points in the crucial swing state of Florida, according to a new poll, at least the fourth Thursday survey showing her winning in a battleground state.

Clinton is supported by 48 percent of likely Florida voters in the Suffolk University poll, followed by Trump at 42 percent and 9 percent undecided.

{mosads}In a four-way scenario with third-party candidates, Clinton leads Trump by 4 points, 43 percent to 39 percent, with 4 percent backing Libertarian nominee Gary Johnson and 3 percent backing Green Party candidate Jill Stein.

“Hillary Clinton is leading thanks to southern Florida and women,” David Paleologos, director of the Suffolk University Political Research Center in Boston, remarked on the poll.

“Trump is even seeing some Republicans holding back at this point while Clinton is a bit stronger among registered Democrats,” he added.

Clinton has the support of 81 percent of Florida’s registered Democrats, according to the Suffolk poll, compared to 74 percent of Republicans who back Trump.

Asked if their vote is more for their candidate or against the opponent, 52 percent of Trump backers said they were voting to support him, while 39 percent said they were voting against Clinton. Sixty-seven percent of Clinton voters said their vote was for her with 28 percent saying it was more a vote against Trump.

Clinton leads Trump by 12 points among women, 50 percent to 38 percent, in a two-way match-up in Florida. She holds south Florida by 24 points, 57 percent to 33 percent.

Polls released earlier Thursday showed the former secretary of State ahead of Trump by double digits in New Hampshire and Pennsylvania, both considered key battlegrounds. Clinton is also leading in Michigan, according to another Thursday survey.

Trump’s campaign has argued polls will even out soon, following a bump from last week’s Democratic National Convention.

The Suffolk University poll in Florida found Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), who is seeking reelection, holding a double-digit lead over his likely Democratic opponents.

Rubio took 46 percent to Rep. Patrick Murphy’s 33 percent with another 19 percent undecided, while Rubio led Rep. Alan Grayson 45 percent to 31 percent with 22 percent undecided.

The survey of 500 likely voters in Florida was conducted Aug. 1-3 via telephone with a margin of error of 4.4 points.