A Clinton rally in Tampa. | AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster New poll shows Clinton's lead disappearing in Florida

TALLAHASSEE — Hillary Clinton’s lead in Florida has deteriorated as voters continue to distrust the presumptive Democratic nominee, according to a Quinnipiac Poll released Wednesday.

Donald Trump has a 42-39 lead over Clinton in the latest poll, just within the poll's 3.1 percent margin of error. In a June 21 Quinnipiac poll, Clinton topped Trump by a 47-39 margin.


Clinton’s overwhelming problem comes down to one thing, according to the poll: trust.

The biggest change since the last round of polling numbers is FBI Director James Comey’s damning 15 minute news conference last week outlining Clinton’s handling of emails while she served as secretary of state. Though no criminal charges will be brought and the case, Comey outlined what he called Clinton’s “extremely careless” handling of confidential emails while she was running the State Department using a personal email server.

“While there is no definite link between Clinton’s drop in Florida and the U.S. Justice Department decision not to prosecute her for her handling of emails, she has lost ground to Trump on questions which measure moral standards and honesty,” said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of Quinnipiac University Poll.

Of the 1,015 voters polled from June 30 to July 11, Trump topped Clinton 50-37 on the question of who is “more honest and trustworthy,” a margin that was 43-40 in favor of Trump in Quinnipiac’s last poll.

Trump does have his own problems that could kneecap his Florida campaign.

Trump only has the support of 21 percent of the state's non-white voters, which is an important part of the state’s electorate. Overall, Hispanic voters make up roughly 13 percent of the state’s electorate and have long been seen as a key to winning the nation’s largest swing state.

“Although he is winning among white voters, who are mainly Republican, victory in Florida will be a very difficult lift for him if he can’t do better among non-white voters,” Brown said.

Clinton also has a much stronger infrastructure in place. Her campaign has offices all over the state, is working to register voters and between the campaign and its allies has more than $10 million in TV time reserved. Trump, meanwhile, has temporarily closed his main office in Sarasota until after the Republican National Convention and has a skeleton crew running his Florida campaign.

UPDATED with link to Quinnipiac University press release on swing state polls.