Q poll: Trump numbers soar, Hillary continues slide

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a news conference, Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2015, in Dubuque, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a news conference, Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2015, in Dubuque, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) Photo: Charlie Neibergall / Associated Press Photo: Charlie Neibergall / Associated Press Image 1 of / 8 Caption Close Q poll: Trump numbers soar, Hillary continues slide 1 / 8 Back to Gallery

A Quinnipiac University poll released Thursday shows Donald Trump widening his lead over other Republican presidential challengers and Vice President Joseph Biden running slightly better than Hillary Clinton against leading GOP contenders

The poll by the Hamden-based university showed that Trump leads the crowded Republican pack with 28 percent, up from 20 percent in a July 30 national survey by the Q poll. This is the highest tally and widest margin for any Republican so far in this election. Ben Carson has 12 percent, with 7 percent each for former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida. No other Republican tops 6 percent and 11 percent are undecided.

Trump also tops the “no way” list as 26 percent of Republican voters say they would definitely not support him. Bush is next with 18 percent.

Clinton leads the Democratic field with 45 percent, down from 55 percent July 30, with U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont at 22 percent and Biden at 18 percent. No other candidate tops 1 percent with 11 percent undecided. This is Sanders' highest tally and closest margin.

Clinton tops the Democrats' “no way” list with 11 percent.

“Liar” is the first word that comes to mind more than others in an open-ended question when voters think of Clinton. “Arrogant” is the word for Trump and voters say “Bush” when they think of Bush.

“Donald Trump soars; Ben Carson rises; Jeb Bush slips and some GOP hopefuls seem to disappear. Trump proves you don't have to be loved by everyone, just by enough Republicans to lead the GOP pack,” said Tim Malloy, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll.

“On the Democratic side, Secretary Hillary Clinton continues her slide while Sen. Bernie Sanders continues to narrow the gap,” Malloy added. “But the real news is the man who isn't there - yet. Vice President Joseph Biden has the best appeal in general election matchups against top Republicans.

“Note to Biden: They like you, they really like you, or they like you more than the others. “If he is sitting on the fence, his scores in the matchups and his favorability ratings may compel him to say, 'Let's do this.'”

Matchups among all American voters show Biden tops Trump 48 - 40 percent. He beats Bush 45 - 39 percent and gets 44 percent to Rubio's 41 percent.

Clinton edges Trump 45 - 41 percent. She gets 42 percent to Bush's 40 percent and gets 44 percent to Rubio's 43 percent.

Sanders edges Trump 44 - 41 percent and edges Bush 43 - 39 percent. Rubio gets 41 percent to Sanders' 40 percent.

If Trump runs as a third party candidate, Clinton gets 40 percent, with 24 percent each for Bush and Trump.

Jeb Bush has a negative 32 - 41 percent favorability rating among all voters, with Clinton getting a negative 39 - 51 percent score, her worst ever. Ratings for other top contenders are 48 - 39 percent for Biden; Negative 36 - 54 percent for Trump; 41 - 27 percent for Rubio; 32 - 28 percent for Sanders.

Trump and Clinton have the worst scores among top candidates on honesty. Clinton is not honest and trustworthy, voters say 61 - 34 percent, her lowest score ever;

Trump is not honest and trustworthy, voters say 54 - 38 percent.