Survey: Clinton leads GOP in Ohio

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton outperforms every potential GOP candidate for president in the battleground state of Ohio — but a new poll shows the state’s governor, John Kasich (R), comes closest to narrowing the gap.

A Quinnipiac poll released Thursday found Clinton held a 47 percent to 42 percent gap over the Ohio governor in a potential head-to-head matchup for the state’s 18 Electoral College votes in 2016. 

{mosads}That 5-point gap narrowed from Clinton’s 11-point lead when the firm last polled the question in February. 

Clinton, who holds a 53 percent favorable rating in the state, outperforms all other potential GOP candidates listed by anywhere between 7 percent to 14 percent. 

She leads Florida Sen. Marco Rubio (47 percent to 40 percent), Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan (48 percent to 41 percent), former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (49 percent to 41 percent), Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul (49 percent to 41 percent) New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (46 percent to 38 percent), former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (48 percent to 39 percent), and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz (51 percent to 37 percent).

Among Republicans, Rubio has the largest net favorability rating with plus 12 percent, followed shortly behind by Paul and Ryan. However, large sections of the Ohio public know little about the potential GOP presidential candidates. 

A full 50 percent do not know enough about Rubio to form an opinion. Ohio is most familiar with Christie among the GOP, with only 26 percent saying they do not have enough information to form an opinion.

Clinton, on the on the other hand, is unknown by only 3 percent of voters in the state. 

The poll surveyed 1,174 registered voters in the state and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.9 percentage points.