New polling shows likely Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump gaining ground on presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.
According to the latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal Poll, Clinton leads Trump by just three points among registered voters compared to 11 points last month.
“I think people are getting tired of Hillary,” said Bob Spindell, a Republican delegate and Chairman of the Wisconsin GOP’s 4th Congressional District.
Spindell said he thinks the poll numbers demonstrate Trump is capable of winning a general election. He also said he thinks Republicans across the country have been quick to unify behind Trump since he cleared the GOP primary field.
“The main job of all delegates, including me, is to rally behind Trump,” Spindell said.
On the Democratic side, Sen. Bernie Sanders remains in the race but trails Clinton in terms of delegates accumulated.
State Rep. Daniel Riemer (D-Milwaukee) said both candidates lead Trump in a possible November match up according to the NBC News/Wall Street Journal numbers.
“I think that’s good news from a Democratic perspective,” he said.
Riemer also said he thinks polling this early out from an election can be unpredictable. He expects Democrats to eventually unify behind one candidate, like the GOP has done around Trump, and said he puts more stock in polls from contested battleground states than national survey numbers.
“What do polls in states like Florida, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Ohio say?” Riemer said. “I think that’s where you’ll really get a feel for what this race will shape up to look like.”
Poll numbers also show both Clinton and Trump remain largely unpopular.
Just 34 percent of registered voters have a positive view of Clinton, compared to 54 percent who view her negatively. On the GOP side, 29 percent of voters said they view Trump positively compared with 58 percent who view him negatively.
Paul Nolette, a professor of political science at Marquette University, said he expects fluctuations in polling data in the coming months. He said Clinton is a strong favorite to secure the nomination, and expects her poll numbers to get a boost should Sanders eventually bow out.
But Nolette doesn’t think either candidate can do much to alter the numbers regarding favorability.
“I think what you're going to see, on both sides, is the thing that really draws people out to vote is voting against the other candidate,” Nolette said.
