Poll: Clinton, Christie fare best in possible 2016 showdowns
Washington (CNN) - Hillary Clinton vs. Chris Christie.
It's an intriguing 2016 presidential showdown.
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And according to a new national poll, Clinton would come out on top in such a hypothetical matchup.
That's one of the findings from a survey released Thursday from Quinnipiac University, which asked American voters about nine possible general election matchups in the next race for the White House.
According to the poll, the former first lady, Democratic senator from New York and secretary of state, leads the Republican New Jersey governor 45%-37%. The survey also indicates Clinton would top Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida 50%-34% and would beat Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, the House budget committee chairman and last year's GOP vice presidential nominee, 50%-38%.
"Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton would start a 2016 presidential campaign with enormous advantages," says Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. "She obviously is by far the best known and her more than 20 years in the public spotlight allows her to create a very favorable impression on the American people. But it is worth noting that she had very good poll numbers in 2006 looking toward the 2008 election, before she faced a relative unknown in Barack Obama."
If Vice President Joe Biden became the 2016 Democratic presidential nominee, the poll suggests closer general election contests.
Biden would trail Christie 43%-40% and would top Ryan 45%-42%. The three point margins in both matchups are within the survey's sampling error. According to the poll, the vice president would lead Rubio 45%-38%.
According to the poll, Christie would lead New York Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo 45%-28%, with Ryan ahead of Cuomo 42%-37% and Cuomo and Rubio deadlocked at 37%.
"Although some Republicans don't think New Jersey Gov. Christopher Christie is conservative enough for their taste, he runs best of the three Republicans tested and would defeat two of the top Democrats," adds Brown.
One caveat with such polling is that the next presidential election is still three and a half years away, and surveys this early in a campaign cycle are often heavily influenced by name recognition.
The Quinnipiac University poll was conducted February 27-March 4, with 1,944 registered voters nationwide questioned by telephone. The survey's overall sampling error is plus or minus 2.2 percentage points.
- CNN Political Editor Paul Steinhauser contributed to this story.
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Deep dow inside Christie is still a rethug. He stood up for his state and that is what a governor does but he campaigned and voted for the twit and just a few days before Hurricane Sandy he said that the President couldn't find a lightswitch in a dark room.
I take it that after HS the President not only found the lightswitch but turned on the lights on NJ and him.
In that case, Rubio can forget about bothering to do anymore future pan-handling on Wall Street.
Wouldn't it be great if they ran together Clinton/Christie 2016. Repubs dont like Christie. They did not invite him to CPAC
you have got to be kidding me her handling of benzganzi shows she is not ready for the 3 am phone call cristie would be a much better choice of her.
This is so far out that this is meaningless. It is like some of the strange color commentary for sporting events.
Long way to go, and a lot could happen, But right now Christie is the best the GOP can do. But we Dems won't worry too much. The GOP are too stupid to nominate him!
Old worthless hag vs. big fat fatty. Another great pairing.
I'd like to see them on the same ticket.
Rand Paul > Chris Christie
It's not just the national polls, it's the map. Clinton would have a huge advantage over Christie in Virginia, Ohio, NC, and Colorado – as the republicans in those states would not accept Christie's socially liberal positions and would therefore not turnout, while the democrats in those states would turnout with the same zeal they are turning out for Obama. It's likely that Clinton would also put both Arkansas and Missouri in play.
Christie would likely get Florida, because the association most people have with Christie is "good leader after hurricane"... But if he loses Virginia, Ohio, or NC... it's already over.
Christie is not a fool. He won't even run if Hillary throws her hat into the ring.
Fat chance (pun intended) of Christie becoming a GOP nominee
If that isn't a pair to draw to. 2016, maybe we should be thinking about how to pay the bills in 2013. Clinton is to old and Christie is the epitome of a RINO.
If Christie goes on a diet with a lot of publicity, and is successful, he could win. He'll have to tack to the center though. Dump all the t-party hysterics.
Hillary will be old but is the most trusted and experienced of the two, and being a woman will help a lot. It would be a great race.
Clinton vs Christie ! That will be one h–l of tough choice to make. However, either one will be an excellent president.
You media tards never cease to amaze me. Neither will be a candidate.
@Bev
you have got to be kidding me her handling of benzganzi shows she is not ready for the 3 am phone call cristie would be a much better choice of her.
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You either know very little about intelligence-based foreign diplomatic operations or you're just another "birther" or "swift boat" Republican. At the clearance-level of Secretary Clinton the "3am call" comes several times a week. We have dozens of operations simultaneously occurring and the Secretary of State does not manage them. We also NEVER have 100% of the information and ALWAYS must take actions based on the probabilities. We don't always get the correct answer from the crystal ball but our people perform magnificently considering the challenges. Mindless attacks from disgruntled right-wingers does nothing but obstruct progress in America. It's like "domestic terrorism-lite".
No Clintons, No more Bush, no more 90's dirty crooks.
She'll be too old and he'll be too fat...keep pickin'
Answer? Nobody.. Another 4 years of a Liberal president which would occur with either would put the final nail in the coffin. And yes, Christie is too Liberal and a spending freak just like Obama and Clinton.
Marissa Mayer 2016 president?
But Billary will be like 80 by then haha. She can barely walk straight right now...Didnt she hit her head somewhere a couple of weeks ago? Hahahah
Go, Hillary! I supported you in 2008 and still do!
The Tea Party will rip Christie in the primaries and get Ryan, Rubio or Rand as their man who will go down in flames again. RIP GOP if the Tea Party keeps wagging the dog.
They have both come into their own finally- Hillary I'd support her. Christie finally showed a human side- refreshing- the GOP primary voters won't nominate him- if he would switch parties I think he could get there- excellent VP for Clinton or Biden. Bush will try and sit on the front runner status as long as possible holding door open for their puppet Rubio but will keep others from gaining traction. Who knows who will get the wing nuts going? Santorum is out there- yesterday's news? Newt still lusts for it. Rand Paul- won't get as much fan base as Pops but you have him in fantasy land. Looks like win for the Dems again I would say- Clinton-Biden?
Don't they have something more productive to do instead of acting like if we are in a "Banana Republic"? We already had a presidential election....