Why Clinton Needs Obama More Than Ever

First Read: “For the first time since the Democratic convention seven weeks ago, President Obama is back stumping for Hillary Clinton. And she needs him more than ever — and we’re not just talking about Clinton’s absence from the campaign trail as she recovers from pneumonia. According to our most recent batch of NBC/WSJ/Marist state polls, Clinton is underperforming among key parts of the Obama coalition: Latinos and young voters.”

“In our NBC/WSJ/Marist Nevada poll, for instance, Clinton leads Trump by a 65%-30% margin (+35) among Latinos, who made up 17% of the likely voters in the survey. But in 2012, Latinos made up 19% of Nevada’s electorate, and Obama won them, 71%-24% (+47). In addition, the NBC/WSJ/Marist Nevada poll finds Clinton ahead of Trump 58%-30% (+28) among those 18 to 29 years old, and they make up 13% of likely voters in the survey. But in 2012, those 18 to 29 made up 18% of Nevada’s electorate, and Obama won them, 68%-30% margin (+38).”

“So Clinton here is lagging Obama’s 2012 performance in both margin and the size of these voting blocs. And what does our NBC/WSJ/Marist poll of Nevada show overall? Clinton is ahead of Trump by just one point among likely voters, 45%-44% — when Obama won the state by six points, 52%-46%.”