Donald Trump edges past Hillary Clinton in swing state of Ohio

Donald Trump has a significant lead over rival Hillary Clinton in the crucial battleground states of Ohio and Florida, according to new polls.

A Bloomberg poll, which surveyed 802 Ohio residents between 9 and 12 September, found that Mr Trump won 48 per cent to Ms Clinton’s 43 per cent in a two-way contest.

He retained his lead of 44 per cent versus her 39 per cent when third party candidates were included.

A separate poll from JMC Analytics this week found that the Republican also has a four-point lead over Ms Clinton in the swing state of Florida.

His vice president, Indiana governor Mike Pence, also has a nine-point lead in Ohio over Ms Clinton’s running mate, Virginia senator Tim Kaine.

The numbers are a blow to the Clinton campaign which normally enjoys an advantage nationally and in swing states.

More than half of Ohio voters said they were sceptical about several trade deals that were backed by Bill Clinton, while more than four in 10 Clinton supporters regard NAFTA as a “bad deal” – two factors which Mr Trump has used to his advantage.

Ohio voters have not let the Republican nominee off the hook, however. More than half – 57 per cent – of those surveyed said they were bothered about his mocking of a reporter with a physical disability, while 40 per cent said they were bothered a lot about his charity’s illegal donation to a Florida attorney general’s political group as she was deciding whether or not to investigate fraud claims against Trump University.

Almost the same number of voters said they were not happy that the Republican has not released his tax returns.

Despite those concerns, Mr Trump’s predicted win in Ohio indicates the challenge that his rival faces in the “rustbelt states”.

The challenge has increased following Ms Clinton’s comments that one could put half of Trump supporters into a “basket of deplorables”.

“The racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamaphobic — you name it,” she said at a New York fundraiser.

“And unfortunately there are people like that. And he has lifted them up.”

Ms Clinton has also faced an increased lack of trust surrounding the misuse of her personal email server, foreign donors to her charitable foundation, her involvement in Benghazi where four Americans were killed and her physical health.

A separate poll discovered that less than half of American voters believed her campaign’s explanations of “overheating” for why she stumbled and appeared to buckle at the knees following a 9/11 memorial service.

The Bloomberg poll, which has a margin of error of 3.5 per cent, contacted people on their mobile and landlines who said they would “definitely” vote in the election.

In the four-way contest, Libertarian Party candidate Gary Johnson received 10 per cent while Green Party nominee Jill Stein gathered 3.5 per cent, short of the 15 per cent average needed to compete in the first presidential debate this month.