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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May I remind folks that Christie is on the outs with his own party!
Sarah Palin will PWN both of them. She is going to be our next President! Hillary will lose big to Sarah Palin!
CNN no longer has any creditability people! It is obvious they are a liberal news orginazation, have been for awhile now. The goverment has taken over the media, especially the now democratic/liberal/socialist party! No I'm not a freaking republican either, I'm an american. The media back in the day, 30 years ago was a watch dog against goverment wrong doing, not anymore!
Christie for sure. The man showed character for standing what is right when he thanked Obama for Sandy's response. It was not the political thing to do and he knew that.
Absolutely meaningless at this point in time.
Mr. Christie goes to the market to buy his meat and asks the butcher... "Excusme, what that over there?", the butcher -" that would be t-bone steak". " hmmm how about that one behind it? " – " that would be filet mignon" – " hmmmm how about that all the way in the back, is that a pigs head" – " no Mr. Christie, that is just a mirror".
Hillary Clinton is a mental heavyweight when you compare her to Christie, and a mental giant when you compare her to Paul Ryan, Marco Rubio or Jeb Bush.
Before anyone could vote for Christie they would have to take good long look at who his running mate for VP would be. Even very fit presidents all seem to go grey almost immediately – Im thinking Christie will have a coronary after the second year in office.
Christie seems to have it all together; however, I am worried about his health. He is to heavy and could be a candidate for a heart attack.
On Mrs. Clinton, I don't believe she is qualified to be President, even though she has had various positions within the government.
Chiristy has not self control. He is addicted to eating. Like any addict, he is out of control of his behavior. Should he not be able to control his urges, should he be allowed to control a city, state or country?
Hillary == landslide political win. Even Obama is sometimes jealous of her stature. Enough said.
If the choice ends up limited to the people discussed in the article, I'm jumping off a bridge.
Maybe Christie should do the unthinkable and run with her. End this partisan BS once and for all and start worrying about US again.
They should run together.
While Chris Christie appears to be a very straight forward person, he's also very belligerent, with no tolerance for the press unless their on his side. Do you remember when he was ready to pick a fight on the boardwalk with a bystander who criticized him? The man is not presidential material.
Geez, it is still only early 2013. Do we really have to discuss the elections in 2016????
If Clinton runs, I don't care much who is running against her from the Republican Party, as long as it isn't some fire-breathing reformer. I would relax, knowing whomever won, this country is in good hands. I will probably vote for the Republican, and I won't be afraid to admit to Clinton face to face, because she is okay.
OMG this could get ugly – just having to look at the two of them for a whole campaign is reason enough to look elsewhere!
I'm going to vote for Hillary. Also, bear in mind that Christie has alienated so many extremist Republicans, he'll be unlikely to be the nominee.
hey CNN, try focusing on the present mess instead of what's 4yrs down the road... you're worse that our professional campaigner in chief!!
This is a poll of those who are going to loose. Nobody hears of the real champions this early.
Dear CNN,
We have a nation to put back together. Part of the problem is that our elected officials are now in constant campaign mode. This means that they rarely get around to the business of governing effectively. President Obama's inauguration happened two months ago and you feel it necessary to push our attention to an election taking place three and half years hence. You are part of the problem!
Clinton will beat all aspiring people who will run for president. And she is the best.
At least both of them would have brain tissue (Pay attention, Sarah Palin)
Hard decision. Even for us liberals.