If Election Day was scheduled for this week, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton would be proclaimed as the winner. Reuters/Ipsos States of the Nation project released Saturday the latest poll results, which show that the former Secretary of State is still leading the race to win the Electoral College, as well as the presidency of the United States.

According to the findings, little has changed in the last week in spite of the fact that Republican candidate Donald Trump had his best debate performance on Wednesday. His main opponent leads him in the majority of states that he would need in case he has a chance to win the minimum 270 votes. If Nov. 8 was this week, Clinton would have a 95 percent chance of being proclaimed the next U.S. president, according to the project. Reuters reported that the most likely result would be 212 votes for the Republican nominee and 326 for Clinton.

Presidential debate
Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton at the final presidential debate held on October 19, 2016, at University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Image credit: Gary He.

While some national polls illustrated a tight race this week, the project shows that the first female candidate ever nominated by the Democrats maintains her solid lead 17 days to go until Election Day. Florida and Pennsylvania, where Clinton is leading, have a combined 49 Electoral College votes, as Reuters reported. As for Ohio, the race remains very tight.

In South Carolina, Trump did gain ground as his lead increased to seven points, but he lost ground in Arizona. The race has become very tight there. The GOP candidate’s chances of winning in Utah are lower because independent candidate and former CIA operative Evan McMullin is siphoning votes away from the billionaire. Some polls show he is leading in that state, where he was born. The Reuters report notes that McMullin was not included in the States of the Nation project.

Donald Trump, who believes the presidential race is rigged against him, might succeed if Democratic turnout is low and Republican turnout rises, according to the project.

Could McMullin help lower Trump’s chances to win?

Although it is unlikely that McMullin will win, it is worth knowing who he is and why he wants to become president of the United States. He served in the CIA for about ten years, worked as an adviser for the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and as policy director for the House Republican Conference.

He rejects misogyny, racism and supports free trade in free markets. Americans unconvinced by the rhetoric of Trump and Clinton may be willing to vote for this independent candidate. Voters who refuse to support Clinton’s abortion views and Trump’s racism and misogynistic behavior will either vote for McMullin or let everyone else decide the fate of the country.

Source: Reuters