Rubio, Clinton top 2016 poll picks

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RALEIGH, N.C., Dec. 7 (UPI) -- Marco Rubio is the choice of Republicans and Hillary Clinton the choice for Democrats as 2016 presidential candidates, a Public Policy Polling poll indicates.

Poll data indicated 18 percent of Republicans chose Rubio, a U.S. senator from Florida; followed by 14 percent for New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie; 12 percent for former Florida Gov. Jeb Bus; 11 percent for U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, from Wisconsin; 11 percent for former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee; 8 percent for former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice; 7 percent each for former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and Sen. Rand Paul from Kentucky; and 4 percent for Rich Santorum.

Clinton, the current secretary of state, was favored by 61 percent of those polled, followed by Vice President Joe Biden with 12 percent; New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo with 5 percent; Sen.-elect Elizabeth Warren from Massachusetts with 4 percent; Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley with 2 percent; and Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick; Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer and Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia with 1 percent each.

PPP queried 700 registered voters by phone Nov. 30-Dec. 2. The overall margin of error is 3.7 percent to 4.6 percent for Democrats and 4.5 percent for Republicans. PPP said no campaign or political organization paid for the poll.