'Most electable'? Ben Carson was one of those, once upon a time
Sometimes polls are good at determining front-runners. Other times, not so much. Witness, from the HuffPost polling composite:
| Clinton | 45.5 | 48.1 |
|---|---|---|
| Carson | 47.6 | 44.6 |
No other Republican came close to as big a lead over Clinton as Carson in September and October. Dramatically, Quinnipiac had Ben Carson leading Hillary Clinton 50-40 in late October-early November! Then just three short weeks later, the Q-poll had Clinton up 46-43, a 13-point shift.
So what happened? Carson had the kind of profile and personal demeanor enviable in any candidate—a soft-spoken celebrated, accomplished neurosurgeon with a compelling life story. On paper he looked great! Then, the press did a little digging and his entire facade collapsed, making a house of cards look sturdy in comparison.