"Counterintuitive" means "exactly what you don't expect." It is a marvelous one-word descriptive for a new Quinnipiac Poll out today, looking at voter attitudes toward Trump and Clinton. Hat tips to Lucianne.com and the Daily Mail (U.K.) for the link.
First, the bad news: given a choice between Trump and Clinton, with no third party alternatives offered, Clinton polls 45% to Trump's 41%. Interpretation: forced to choose between the two, 4% more choose Clinton.
However, when third party (i.e., Libertarian, Green) candidates are offered as alternatives to Clinton and Trump, Clinton polls 40% to Trump's 38%. As Quinnipiac notes, that's "too close to call."
What I find mind-boggling is that Clinton loses more votes to third party candidates than does Trump. She loses 5% while he loses 3%, and that difference is not insignificant. It would appear third party alternatives cost her more votes than they cost Trump.
I hope to see this polling repeated after Sanders loses to Clinton, to see where his supporters will alight. Most, I presume, will go to Clinton. Some substantial number will go to Trump and not a few will end up with the Libertarians or Greens.
