WASHINGTON _ Gary Johnson could make a big difference in his home state of New Mexico, a state with five electoral votes, according to a new Albuquerque Journal poll.
Johnson, the Libertarian presidential candidate, got 24 percent support in the survey, conducted Sept. 27-29. Johnson was Republican governor of the state from 1995 to 2003.
Hillary Clinton got 35 percent and Donald Trump 31 percent in a state that's been viewed as Clinton territory. Nationally, the Clinton-Trump race remains close, meaning Clinton probably can't afford to lose a state where she's seen as a favorite.
"The election is close in New Mexico," said Brian Sanderoff, president of Research & Polling Inc., according to the Journal. "The bottom line is that New Mexico is more competitive than I expected."
Sanderoff said Johnson is hurting Clinton more than Trump in the state, particularly among Hispanics, considered an important Clinton constituency. Johnson wins the backing of 31 percent of Hispanics.
Clinton is up 40-18 percent over Trump among Hispanics.
"The Democratic candidate needs to be getting much more than 40 percent of the Hispanic vote to win New Mexico comfortably," Sanderoff said. "Johnson is picking up Hispanic support, and that is what is keeping Hillary Clinton down."
