PROVIDENCE, R.I. - A newly released poll shows Hillary Clinton leading Donald Trump by only three percentage points in one of the bluest of states: Rhode Island.

Emerson College Polling placed this headline on its findings: "Clinton Could Sweep Northeast but RI, NJ, NH Are Tight."

In Rhode Island, where Governor Gina Raimondo leads the former secretary of state's cheering squad, Clinton led billionaire Trump 44 percent to 41 percent.

The regional summary: "Clinton’s advantage over Trump ranges from a high of 21 points in Vermont (47 percent to 26 percent) to a low of 3 percent in Rhode Island (44 percent to 41 percent). Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson is winning 14 percent of voters in New Hampshire, 13 percent in Vermont, 12 percent in Maine and under 10 percent in the other four states. The Green Party’s Jill Stein has 7 percent of Vermont voters and 4 percent or less in the other six states."

The Rhode Island poll was conducted Sept. 2-5. The sample consisted of 800 likely general election voters with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.4 percent. According to Emerson, the "data was weighted by 2012 election results, party affiliation, age, gender and congressional district."

There was no immediate response from Joe Caiazzo, the Rhode Island state director for Hillary for America.

But the RI GOP posted this Tweet on its Trump-Pence Twitter feed: "Trump Is Only Down 3 Points In Rhode Island — A State Obama Won By 27 Points." (In 2012, President Obama beat Republican challenger Mitt Romney 62.7 percent to 35.2 percent.)

And Rhode Island Republican Chairman Brandon Bell had this take on the numbers: "As Mr. Trump continues to unveil his policy proposals and campaign throughout America, polls are trending in the right direction. Donald Trump now leads Hillary Clinton by two percentage points (45-43%) in the latest CNN/ORC poll, a swing of 11 points in Mr. Trump's favor from the previous CNN/ORC poll released August 1st.

"I'm not at all surprised that Hillary is losing ground in Rhode Island. She is supported by Democratic state leadership, hardly a ringing endorsement. She was clobbered by Sanders after she beat Obama by 20 points in 2008. On the other hand Donald Trump overwhelmingly won a three-way race with almost 65 percent of the primary vote. There is a major enthusiasm gap here and people have Clinton fatigue (even in the place once dubbed as Clinton country)."