Sanders Handily Trounces All Top Republicans—Yeah, Including Trump

By Janet Allon

 Clinton still has a sizable lead over Bernie, though.

Nothing seems to touch Donald Trump, it seems, whose lead in the Republican race for president has stayed solid and even grown as Ben Carson fades. Nothing except possibly the "Bern" man.

According to a new Quinnipiac poll released Wednesday, both Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton handily beat any top Republican candidates. Here are Sanders' latest numbers:

• Topping Trump 49 - 41 percent;
• Getting 44 percent to Rubio's 43 percent;
• Beating Cruz 49 - 39 percent;
• Leading Carson 47 - 41 percent.

In many cases, those numbers are even higher than Hillary Clinton's, who nonetheless maintains a sizable lead against Sanders. Here are Clinton's numbers:

• 47 - 41 percent over Trump, compared to 46 - 43 percent November 4;
• Clinton at 45 percent to Rubio's 44 percent, compared to a 46 - 41 percent Rubio lead last month;
• Clinton tops Cruz 47 - 42 percent, compared to Cruz at 46 percent to Clinton's 43 percent last month;
• Clinton at 46 percent to Carson's 43 percent compared to Carson's 50 - 40 percent lead last month.

According to the poll, Clinton now enjoys a lead over Sanders, 60 to 30 percent, an increase from her numbers near the beginning of November of 53 to 35 percent in another Quinnipiac poll.
While Trump's lead on the Republican side has solidified eleven months before the election, making it seem increasingly possible that he will be the nominee, his rivals have fallen away. According to the poll:

Trump gets 27 percent of Republican voters today, with 17 percent for Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, 16 percent each for Carson and Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and 5 percent for former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush. No other candidate tops 3 percent, with 8 percent undecided.

Last month, Trump had 24 percent, with 23 percent for Carson.

So, the (crazy) doctor is definitely not in anymore.

But the blowhard real estate mogul? He's doing just fine, high negatives not withstanding. "It doesn't seem to matter what he says or who he offends, whether the facts are contested or the 'political correctness' is challenged,"  said Tim Malloy, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll.

"Donald Trump seems to be wearing Kevlar,"