Tony Cook

tony.cook@indystar.com

A new poll shows that Democrat Hillary Clinton has chipped away at Republican Donald Trump's lead in Indiana.

Trump holds a 43 percent to 38 percent lead over Clinton, according to a WTHR/Howey Politics Indiana Indiana Poll released Thursday. Libertarian Gary Johnson got 11 percent.

The survey of 600 likely voters had a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percent and was conducted by Public Opinion Strategies pollster Gene Ulm.

The results show the race has tightened since a September poll that found Trump with a 43 percent to 36 percent lead over Clinton.

Did presidential debate change the mind of any voter?

The new poll was conducted after the first presidential debate and Trump's feud with a former Miss Universe whose weight gain he had criticized.

“He is severely testing a red state like Indiana,” Ulm told Howey Politics. “His favorable/unfavorable is 41/56% in Indiana for a Republican running for president. Bob Dole barely won the state in 1996 and his negatives were in the low 30s.”

Of those who said they plan to vote for Trump, 43 percent said they were doing so reluctantly because they just couldn't vote for Clinton. Of those who said they plan to vote for Clinton, 35 percent said they were doing so reluctantly because they just couldn't vote for Trump.

Call IndyStar reporter Tony Cook at (317) 444-6081. Follow him on Twitter: @indystartony.

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