WASHINGTON — Democratic Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton is leading rival Barack Obama in Ohio and Pennsylvania, according to polls released Thursday by Quinnipiac University.
In Ohio, Clinton holds a 21-percentage-point lead over the Illinois senator; Clinton has 55 percent while Obama has 34 percent. The former first lady considers a victory in Ohio’s March 4 contest pivotal to saving her candidacy, which has been rocked by a string of Obama victories from coast to coast. The poll shows she has more than a 2-to-1 lead in the state among whites, and almost as big an advantage with women and voters age 45 and over.
In Pennsylvania, Clinton is ahead of Obama, 52 percent compared with his 36 percent. For this April 22 contest, Clinton has a 20-percentage-point lead among women and an edge with men of half that number. Whites back her by about 2-to-1, while seven in 10 blacks are behind Obama.
Clinton leads among older and younger voters and those without college degrees, while Obama is on top with college graduates in Pennsylvania.
Both polls were conducted by telephone from Feb. 6-12 and had a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 4.1 percentage points. The Pennsylvania poll involved interviews with 577 likely Pennsylvania Democratic voters, while the Ohio poll involved interviews with 564 likely Ohio Democratic voters.
Clinton challenges special interests
LORDSTOWN, Ohio — Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton, criticized for taking corporate special interest contributions, proposed new restrictions Thursday on oil, insurance, credit card, student loan and Wall Street investment companies that she said would save middle-class Americans $55 billion a year.
“For seven long years, we’ve had a government of, by, and for the special interests, and we’ve had enough,” the New York senator told an audience at a General Motors plant that she toured here. “It’s time to level the playing field against the special interests and deliver 21st century solutions to rebuild the middle class.”
She spoke just a day after rival Barack Obama stopped at a GM plant in Janesville, Wis., to unveil a $210 billion economic plan to create jobs in construction and environmental industries.
The former first lady was in Ohio to press her strategy of focusing on the biggest March 4 primary states — Texas and Ohio — where she still holds the lead in polls. Clinton is hoping for a comeback to stop a tide that has given Obama eight straight victories since Super Tuesday. Of the 2,025 delegates needed for nomination, Obama now has 1,275; Clinton, 1,220
Former GOP senator endorses Obama
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Former Republican Sen. Lincoln Chafee endorsed Democratic Sen. Barack Obama on Thursday as the best presidential candidate to restore the nation’s credibility.
In a conference call with reporters, Chafee announced his backing of the Illinois senator. Chafee, one of the more liberal Republicans in the Senate, lost his seat in 2006 to Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse. Chafee left the GOP last year and became an independent.
“I believe Senator Obama is the best candidate to restore American credibility, to restore our confidence to be moral and just, and to bring people together to solve the complex issues such as the economy, the environment and global stability,” Chafee said.
Despite losing, he remains popular in the Ocean State and his approval ratings on election day were 63 percent.
Rhode Island holds its primary March 4.
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