Clinton leads in 2016 race; GOP wide open

Hillary Clinton leads the other potential 2016 Democratic presidential candidates by a six-to-one margin, while the Republican race is wide open, a new poll suggests.

Clinton received 73 percent of support for a presidential bid among Democrats and independents leaning that way, according to a Washington Post-ABC News poll released Thursday. 

Vice President Biden came in second place with 12 percent support and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass) came in third with 8 percent.

The pollsters say Clinton’s lead is the largest recorded in 30 years of Washington Post-ABC News polling. 

{mosads}In a hypothetical match-up in the 2016 general election, Clinton leads New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R), 53 percent to 41 percent. In 2012, the Post notes, President Obama defeated Mitt Romney 51 percent to 47 percent in the popular vote. In 2008, Obama beat Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) 53 percent to 46 percent.

No one in the GOP field received as much support as Clinton in the poll. Six Republican candidates, in fact, received between 10 percent and 20 percent. 

Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) leads the pack with 20 percent support, with former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) in second with 18 percent. Christie came in third place with only 13 percent among Republicans and independents leaning in that direction.

Forty-three percent of Republicans view Christie favorably, compared to 33 percent who view him unfavorably, the poll indicates.

Three Republican senators who may also run received the least amount of support in the poll. Ted Cruz (Texas) received 12 percent, Rand Paul (Ky.) had 11 percent and Marco Rubio (Fla.) received 10 percent.

Four percent of voters leaning Republican said they wouldn’t vote for any of the above candidates. The poll indicated 9 percent of them had no opinion of the GOP field.