Presidential race tightens as Trump closes in

Donald Trump has reportedly pulled within one point of Hillary Clinton. The news comes after the FBI announced potential new evidence in an investigation into Clinton's private email server. American University's Prof. Allan J Lichtman, who is famous for accurately predicting the outcomes all eight US presidential races since 1984, predicts Trump will win while Wall Street currently expects a Clinton win, and some predict the stock market could crash if Trump does win. 

A new Washington Post-ABC News poll shows Donald Trump has pulled within a point of Hillary Clinton, with the Republican presidential nominee polling at 45% among likely US voters and the Democrat at 46%. The results are based on a random sample of 1,781 adults surveyed by telephone on Oct. 25 to Oct. 28, and are within the poll’s margin of error.

In telephone interviews conducted on Oct. 28 and 29, after the FBI announced it was examining new evidence potentially tied to its investigation of Clinton’s private email server, 34% of likely voters indicated they would be less likely to vote for Clinton in light of the developments. The effect seems largely contained to voters who’ve likely arrived at a decision already, though. Among those who said they now would be less likely to support Clinton, 68% are Republicans or Republican-leaning independents, while 17% lean Democratic. Only 9% are independents who lean toward neither party.

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The ongoing FBI probe didn’t stop the South Carolina newspaper The State from endorsing Clinton yesterday (Oct. 29). While admitting it’s “baffled by her decision as secretary of state to use a private server for emails,” and noting that the decision “continues to haunt her campaign,” the paper said it’s confident as president that she would appropriately handle classified materials—while Trump “is simply unfit for the presidency, or any public office.”

The one-point race sees Libertarian Gary Johnson with support from 4% of likely voters, and Jill Stein of the Green Party polling at 2%.

When respondents were asked who they would choose between Clinton and Trump if there were no other options, 49% picked Clinton, while 46% chose Trump—a statistically insignificant margin, as the Washington Post notes.