{"id":1030,"date":"2015-11-03T08:51:07","date_gmt":"2015-11-03T13:51:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/press.nbcnews.com\/?p=1030"},"modified":"2015-11-03T08:51:07","modified_gmt":"2015-11-03T13:51:07","slug":"nbc-newswsj-poll-clinton-increases-lead-over-sanders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nbcuniversalnewsgroup.com\/nbcnews\/2015\/11\/03\/nbc-newswsj-poll-clinton-increases-lead-over-sanders\/","title":{"rendered":"NBC NEWS\/WSJ POLL: CLINTON INCREASES LEAD OVER SANDERS"},"content":{"rendered":"

Candidates Face Angry, Dissatisfied Electorate One-Year Out <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Economy Still Top Issue for Voters <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

No Party Holds Advantage in General Election\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

NOV. 3, 2015 \u2013 A new NBC News\/Wall Street Journal poll reveals Hillary Clinton has increased her lead within the Democratic Party\u2019s presidential race by a margin of two to one over Sen. Bernie Sanders among primary voters, 62 percent to 31 percent respectively.<\/p>\n

With consideration to this month\u2019s debate and the Benghazi Committee hearing, Americans continue to have a net negative impression of Clinton (40 percent positive\/47 percent negative), showing little change since early October.<\/p>\n

The poll also marks a virtual tie when it comes to the general election: 44% of voters say they prefer a Republican to win the White House, compared to 43% who prefer a Democrat.<\/p>\n

The economy is the top issue in the presidential race for voters, followed by social issues and values.<\/p>\n

Specific general election matchups (for example, Clinton v. Trump) will be released tonight at 6:30 p.m. ET.<\/p>\n

Extended political analysis is included below. Read more about Clinton\u2019s lead over Sanders\u2019 here: http:\/\/nbcnews.to\/1WtgDns<\/a>. Read more about the electorate one-year out here: http:\/\/nbcnews.to\/1l5PciG<\/a>.<\/p>\n

MANDATORY CREDIT: NBC NEWS\/WSJ POLL <\/strong><\/p>\n

# # #<\/p>\n

Clinton Increases Her Lead Over Sanders<\/strong><\/p>\n

By Carrie Dann (@CarrieNBCNews<\/a>)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hillary Clinton has increased her dominant lead within the Democratic Party\u2019s presidential contest, now besting rival Sen. Bernie Sanders by a margin of two to one among primary voters in the latest NBC News\/Wall Street Journal poll. \u00a0But the Democratic front-runner remains unpopular with the general electorate, and fewer than a third of Americans give her high marks for being honest and straightforward.<\/p>\n

In the new poll, conducted October 25-29, 62 percent of Democrats chose Clinton as their top choice to win their party\u2019s presidential nomination, while 31 percent picked Sanders. Former Maryland governor Martin O\u2019Malley received just three percent support.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s up from Clinton\u2019s 25-point lead earlier in October, 58 percent to 33 percent.<\/p>\n

In this most recent poll, more than eight in ten Democrats also say they can see themselves supporting Clinton for the nod, while only 61 percent say the same of the Vermont senator. An overwhelming majority of Democrats \u2013 84 percent — believe that Clinton is the most likely to win the Democratic nomination, versus just 12 percent who say Sanders is the best bet. And a similar margin \u2013 81 percent \u2013 believe that Clinton has the best chance of any Democratic candidate of winning the White House in 2016.<\/p>\n

Despite ascendancy with Democrats \u2013 particularly after a strong debate performance,\u00a0her marathon testimony on Capitol Hill regarding the Benghazi controversy and Vice President Joe Biden\u2019s decision not to launch a White House bid \u2013 Clinton has little to show for her successful news cycles when it comes to the electorate at large.<\/p>\n

Americans continue to have a net negative impression of her (40 percent positive\/47 percent negative) \u2013 virtually unchanged from early October. Despite an effort by her campaign to present a softer side, she has not significantly improved her standing with registered voters on measures like \u201cbeing compassionate enough to understand average people\u201d or \u201cbeing inspirational and an exciting choice for president.\u201d<\/p>\n

And a majority \u2013 53 percent of registered voters \u2013 give her poor marks for \u201cbeing honest and straightforward, while just 27 percent give her a thumbs up.<\/p>\n

After her 11-hour testimony before a congressional committee investigating the Benghazi hearings, Clinton does appear to have significantly moved the needle with Democrats and with swing voters when it comes to how they view her handling of the controversy. But the electorate at large still remains skeptical about her response.<\/p>\n

Before the hearing, 58 percent of Democratic primary voters said they were satisfied with Clinton\u2019s response to questions about the Benghazi attacks, while 11 percent said they were not satisfied and 31 percent said they did not know enough about the controversy to comment. Now, 72 percent of Democrats say they\u2019re satisfied and only eight percent say they are not satisfied with her answers.<\/p>\n

Among swing voters, the share who say they are not satisfied with her response to the Benghazi controversy has plummeted from 84 percent at the beginning of October to 40 percent now, although only about a quarter \u2013 23 percent \u2013 are satisfied.<\/p>\n

But among all Americans, there is still significant reluctance to put the Benghazi controversy to rest. A third \u2013 30 percent \u2013 say they\u2019re satisfied that Clinton has addressed the issue, while 38 percent disagree.<\/p>\n

One other bright data point for the Clinton campaign: She appears to have convinced more voters that her use of a private email server is not a game-changing issue. In mid-October, a plurality \u2013 47 percent \u2013 said that Clinton\u2019s use of\u00a0 a personal email server was an important factor in determining whether or not they can vote for her for president, while 44 percent said it was not important. Now, those numbers are almost flipped: 42 percent call the email flap important to their vote, while 48 percent say it isn\u2019t an important factor in their decision-making.<\/p>\n

The poll of 1000 adults was conducted October 25-29, 2015. The margin of error for all adults is +\/- 3.1 percent. The margin of error for registered voters is +\/- 3.37 percent, and the margin of error for 400 Democratic primary voters is +\/- 4.9 percent.<\/em><\/p>\n

# # #<\/p>\n

One Year Out, Candidates Face Angry, Dissatisfied Electorate<\/strong><\/p>\n

By Mark Murray (@mmurraypolitics<\/a>)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Almost a year out from Election Day 2016, Americans have a familiar view of politics and the nation\u2019s direction \u2013 they\u2019re angry and dissatisfied, according to results from a new NBC News\/Wall Street Journal poll.<\/p>\n

Just 27 percent of them believe the country is headed on the right track, which identical to where it stood right before the Nov. 2014 midterm elections.<\/p>\n

Fifty-four percent think the economic and political systems are stacked against them \u2013 just two points lower than where it was a year ago.<\/p>\n

And 57 percent say they\u2019d rather fire their member of Congress than re-elect him, which is again unchanged from the fall of 2014.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo an electorate that voted for major change in 2014 appears once again to be dissatisfied,\u201d says Democratic pollster Fred Yang, whose firm Hart Research Associates conducted this survey with Republican pollster Bill McInturff.<\/p>\n

The 2016 popularity (and unpopularity) contest<\/strong><\/p>\n

That dissatisfaction carries over to the political parties and many of the 2016 candidates — both Democrats and Republicans.<\/p>\n

The most unpopular political figures and institutions in the NBC\/WSJ poll:<\/p>\n