With hours before presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump debate, Quinnipiac University in Hamden has released a poll, calling the race a virtual dead heat.
They said Clinton, a Democrat, takes 44 percent of American likely voters, while Trump, a Republican, has 43 percent, with 8 percent for Libertarian Party candidate Gary Johnson and 2 percent for Green Party candidate Jill Stein.
This compares to a 41 to 39 percent Clinton lead among likely voters, with Johnson at 13 percent and Stein at 4 percent, in a Sept. 14 survey.
In a head-to-head matchup, Clinton gets 47 percent to Trump's 46 percent.
Likely voters said, 41 percent to 32 percent, that Clinton will win tonight's presidential debate and 84 percent of voters said they plan to watch the highly anticipated showdown.
There is a small gender gap and a wide racial divide in the four-way likely voter matchup as Clinton leads 47 percent to 42 percent among women, while men go to Trump by a narrow 44 percent to 40 percent.
Trump leads 50 percent to 36 percent among white voters, while non-white voters back Clinton 66 percent to 24 percent.
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"The race for President is a virtual tie and millions of likely voters consider the first debate must-see TV. And for those inclined to place a wager on the likely winner, Hillary Clinton is the best bet," said Tim Malloy, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll. "In this Super Bowl of American politics, the ratings will be huge and the contenders start dead even."
The debate tonight will be the first time the candidates confront each other face-to-face.
You can watch it live on NBC Connecticut tonight. Coverage starts at 9 p.m.
