NEWEST POLLING – AT 8:50 A.M. ET:  Just in this morning from Rasmussen: 

With the first presidential debate coming on Monday, Donald Trump has moved to a five-point lead over Hillary Clinton, his biggest advantage since mid-July.

The latest Rasmussen Reports weekly White House Watch telephone and online survey finds Trump with 44% support among Likely U.S. Voters to Clinton’s 39%. Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson earns eight percent (8%) of the vote, while Green Party nominee Jill Stein holds steady at two percent (2%). Three percent (3%) like some other candidate, and five percent (5%) are still undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

Last week, the Republican nominee edged ahead of his Democratic rival 42% to 40% after trailing her by four points the week before. Trump’s total this week ties his highest ever level of support from two months ago.

Trump (76%) and Clinton (75%) earn comparable support from voters in their own party. Fourteen percent (14%) of Democrats prefer Trump, while 10% of Republicans join former President George H.W. Bush in supporting Clinton. But Trump has a commanding 45% to 27% lead this week among voters not affiliated with either major political party.

COMMENT:  It's that last number that's intriguing.  We stress that this is only one poll, and that a poll is a snapshot in time.  But if Trump is that far ahead among independents, it's a dramatic political achievement.

Monday night looks more and more like "High Noon."  I wish we had a Gary Cooper.

September 22, 2016