Just a gentle reminder though that we need to keep ourselves tethered in the present rather than floating blissfully into the future. These numbers are based on supposition not fact. The facts are that Hillary has not said she will run, neither have any of the others, and it is only 2013.
The numbers are also based on current ages and that will change, as certainly as the sun rises. There is that odd dip in the 35-54 age group. Members of that group will age into 55+ over the next three years. Hillary's strength, apparently is with the youth vote, and that is without her having lifted her pretty pinky to get their attention. Whether she takes a loss in the 55+ group as that middle group ages remains to be seen. I do not mean to imply that she is doing badly with 35-54, she simply is consistently a little weaker there.
Here are the stats of interest from Quinnipiac.
March 7, 2013 - Clinton, Christie Lead The Pack In Early Look At 2016, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds
Hillary Clinton would defeat three potential Republican presidential candidates if the 2016 presidential election were held today, with New Jersey Gov. Christopher Christie second in a field of three Democrats and three Republicans selected by Quinnipiac University for a national poll released today. Vice President Joseph Biden and New York's Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo would not fare nearly as well, the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University poll finds. The Republicans tested also include Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida and U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin. Former First Lady, Senator, and Secretary of State Clinton wins easily against any of the Republicans, topping Christie 45 - 37 percent; leading Rubio 50 - 34 percent and besting Ryan 50 - 38 percent. "Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton would start a 2016 presidential campaign with enormous advantages," said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. "She obviously is by far the best known and her more than 20 years in the public spotlight allows her to create a very favorable impression on the American people. But it is worth noting that she had very good poll numbers in 2006 looking toward the 2008 election, before she faced a relative unknown in Barack Obama." Christie gets 43 percent to Vice President Biden's 40 percent and tops Cuomo 45 - 28 percent. Biden tops Rubio 45 - 38 percent and gets 45 percent to Ryan's 42 percent. Ryan tops Cuomo 42 - 37 percent while Cuomo and Rubio are tied 37 - 37 percent. "Although some Republicans don't think New Jersey Gov. Christopher Christie is conservative enough for their taste, he runs best of the three Republicans tested and would defeat two of the top Democrats," Brown said. "He obviously is doing better than the Democrats' rising star, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, despite other indications of anti-Republican sentiment." The Democratic edge is seen in the poll finding that voters disapprove of the job Democrats in Congress are doing 60 - 32 percent, compared to an overwhelming 71 - 20 percent disapproval for Republicans in Congress. "The Republican brand is not doing very well these days," said Brown. The difference between the showing by Mrs. Clinton, Biden and Cuomo shows in her ability and their inability to attract independent voters. For instance, Mrs. Clinton ties Christie 36 - 36 percent among independents while Biden trails Christie 44 - 32 percent among those voters. Cuomo trails Christie 47 - 20 percent among independent voters.
