Clinton, Trump tied in Iowa, 44-44 percent

CEDAR RAPIDS - Democrat Hillary Clinton has wiped out Republican Donald Trump's lead in Iowa, where the two are tied at 44 percent among likely voters.

While wide gender and racial gaps remain, Trump's standing among men is shrinking, especially in Iowa, according to an independent Quinnipiac University Poll released Thursday.

'The dead heat in Iowa is reflected in the poll's internals,” Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac Poll said. 'Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton both are getting 88 percent of their respective party members, while independent voters are evenly divided.”

Clinton and Trump traded the lead in Iowa in two previous Quinnipiac polls since the national party conventions in late July.

Clinton had the lead in August - 47 percent to 44 percent. However, Trump turned it around in September, taking a 44 percent to 37 percent lead over the former Secretary of State. That poll was conducted before revelations of a recorded conversation in 2005 in which Trump made lewd comments about kissing and groping women.

Because of the crucial role swing states play in the Electoral College, Quinnipiac paid special attention to voter opinions in Iowa as well as Georgia, North Carolina, and Virginia.

The new poll findings are not good news for Trump, Brown said.

'Time is running out and Donald Trump has lost his leads and now is tied with Hillary Clinton in Iowa and Georgia. North Carolina appears to be moving in her direction also,” he said.

Quinnipiac also found that in Iowa Clinton leads 61 percent to 27 percent among Iowa likely voters who have voted early.

Clinton is less disliked by likely voters, with a negative 40 percent to 55 percent favorability rating, compared to Trump's negative 36 to 59 percent rating.

Iowa men back Trump 51 to 35 percent, while women back Clinton 52 to 37 percent. Republicans go to Trump 88 to 6 percent, while Democrats back Clinton 88 to 9 percent. Independent voters are split 40 to 40 percent, with 6 percent for former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson, the Libertarian Party nominee. Green Party nominee Jill Stein gets 1 percent of the Iowa vote.

Quinnipiac conducted the poll Oct. 20-26, calling 791 Iowa likely voters using landlines and cellphone. The Iowa results have a 3.5 percent margin of error.

To see more results, visit www.qu.edu/polling.