Hillary Clinton’s road to the White House may lead her through some some unfamiliar places, according to the latest polling from non-battleground red states.
Clinton is performing well in a couple Republican strongholds where a Democrat is not traditionally expected to have a chance: Arizona and Texas. The Clinton campaign is going on the offensive in these states, buying ads and sending surrogates.
The latest Arizona Republican polling shows that Clinton is ahead of Trump by 5% in the state, up from a slight 2% lead in August. First Lady Michelle Obama, one of Clinton’s most effective surrogates, is scheduled to speak Thursday in Phoenix.
In Texas, Clinton still trails Trump but she is within 3 points, according to a University of Houston survey. Since 2000, every Republican presidential candidate had taken Texas by 11% or more, according to a note accompanying the poll. The Clinton campaign has even made a modest ad buy in the Lonestar State that highlights excerpts from her endorsement by the Dallas Morning News.
Clinton’s lead over Trump nationally has expanded in October after two presidential debates and leaked audio of the billionaire making lewd comments about groping women without their consent. The Democrat is up by almost 7 points nationally, according to a polling average compiled by Real Clear Politics.
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