Hillary Clinton tops in 2016 race, would topple top Republicans

The former secretary of state has the support of 61 per cent of Democrats

Hillary Clinton has the most support of any potential Democratic candidate for the 2016 presidential sweepstakes and would defeat any of three Republican candidates tested in a poll released on Wednesday.

The former secretary of state, 65, has the support of 61 per cent of Democrats, according to the Quinnipiac University national poll.

In the Democratic field, Clinton tops Vice-President Joseph Biden 61 per cent to 11 per cent, with 7 per cent favouring US Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and 2 per cent supporting New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.

"As she watches the hand-to-hand political combat in Washington, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton remains above the fray and the queen of the 2016 mountain," said Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

Asked about the Republican field, 17 per cent of those polled said they'd support Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, 13 per cent were for New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, 12 per cent backed Senator Marco Rubio of Florida and 11 per cent said they'd support former Florida Governor Jeb Bush.

Senator Ted Cruz of Texas and Representative Paul Ryan of Wisconsin each had 10 per cent.

In a head-to-head contest against Republicans, Clinton would defeat Christie 49 per cent to 36 per cent, Paul 53 per cent to 36 per cent, and Cruz 54 percent to 31 per cent.

The survey conducted among 1,497 registered voters between September 23-29 has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.5 per cent.