Despite the controversy Donald Trump continues to generate, he and Hillary Clinton are tied in a new poll of bellwether Ohio. Both are at 40 percent at a time when Clinton leads virtually every major national poll. The duo also is essentially deadlocked in Pennsylvania as well, while Clinton leads by 8 points in Florida in Quinnipiac University's poll of swing states.

Despite the controversy Donald Trump continues to generate, he and Hillary Clinton are tied in a new poll of bellwether Ohio.

Both are at 40 percent at a time when Clinton leads virtually every major national poll.

The duo also is essentially deadlocked in Pennsylvania as well, while Clinton leads by 8 points in Florida in Quinnipiac University�s poll of swing states.

�One reason why Trump may be doing better in Ohio, and for that matter in Pennsylvania as well, is that both states have small Hispanic populations, compared to Florida,� said Peter Brown, the poll�s assistant director, in a release. �Given Trump�s comments on immigration and descendants of immigrants, the much larger Hispanic population in Florida is obviously a boost there for Hillary Clinton.�

The poll was taken from June 8 through Sunday, straddling the period of Trump�s widely criticized response to the mass shooting in an Orlando night club June 12. The poll included 971 Ohio voters for a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.

Clinton�s numbers did improve from the Connecticut university�s previous poll released May 10, when she trailed Trump by 4 points in Ohio and was ahead by only 1 in Florida and Pennsylvania.

�The at-times bitter verbal battles between Trump and some Republicans leaders is showing in these numbers. In these three key states, Clinton is doing better, and in the case of Florida much better, among Democrats than Trump is among Republicans. Traditionally GOP presidential candidates score better on this party loyalty test,� Brown said.

Perhaps one reason for the current tie in Ohio is that 59 percent of voters hold an unfavorable view of Clinton, and the exact same percentage share that negative view of Trump. And Ohioans also rate the two evenly, at 46 percent, on who would get things done in Washington.

Trump was viewed as more honest and trustworthy by 44 percent, Clinton by 37.

Trump was viewed by Ohioans as doing a better job on the economy and confronting ISIS, and as more inspiring than the former secretary of state.

In a possible sign of danger for GOP Sen. Rob Portman, about a third of Ohio voters say they are less likely to vote for a House or Senate candidate who supports Trump. However, that total is almost balanced out by 28 percent saying they are less likely to vote for a candidate supporting Clinton, as does Democratic challenger Ted Strickland, Ohio�s former governor.

drowland@dispatch.com

@darreldrowland