RODHAM & THE POLLS

When visiting the Internet source Politico, I noticed that Hillary Clinton is ranked first on majority of the polls listed. Although polls aren't an exact representation of how elections will play out, they are still an essential resource in the election process.

Politico reported polls based on democratic presidential Primaries as well as potential to win the presidency. for the year 2016. In California and New Jersey, Clinton excelled with a 58% polling rate. South Carolina’s poll shows a 65% polling rate for Mrs. Clinton and New Hampshire’s poll displayed 69%.

Based on Clinton’s inclusion on these polls, one can assume that the former Secretary of State will definitely be a lead contender in the democratic presidential primaries. Understanding that the elections are shy of two years away, one must be mindful when using such polls as evidence for how successful a candidate will be. However, Hillary Clinton is household name. She represents a portion of the country that is undergoing a social movement. She represents a portion of the country that has never seen someone like them in a presidential position. She represents change. She represents women. No matter what, Hillary Clinton will always be a leading contender in the Democratic race for office because she represents so much more than just herself. I truly believe that Hillary Clinton will always in excel in polling because people are familiar with her. 

Because Clinton is so well-known and has been successful in the political world, people are more willing to donate money to her campaign. By donating to her campaign, she can use her resources to further her lead in the race and continue to excel in the polls. This cycle will continue to keep Hillary Clinton in the front-runner position. 

While some critics complain that the new techniques used in polling can alter how a candidate decides to run his or her campaign, I think that this is a good thing. The elections are so far away that if in the future Clinton’s ranking decrease in the polls, she’s able to catch on to these trends ahead of time and make essential changes needed to maintain high rankings. The results presented from polls will allow Clinton to understand the voter’s values, attitudes and beliefs. Because she is so successful in polls so early on, Hillary can assess that she is somewhat able to identify the priories of her potential supporters. 

As stated before, polls aren't always an exact representation of how the elections will play out. Some reason why polls aren't an accurate prediction are based from sampling errors, question presentation, and interview situations. Greg Orman stated to our class that polls could potentially show a candidate in the lead on polls, but in the end the candidate could still lose on Election Day. It is imperative that Hillary’s campaign uses the polls as a resource to understand voters, but remember not to get too comfortable in the front-runner position.

http://www.politico.com/p/polls?ml=na#.VPicFktnxSU