We now have the results of five scientific polls, and each shows Clinton scoring a commanding victory over Trump on the debate stage.
Clinton got her highest marks in a CNN poll that showed her beating Trump 66 to 27 percent. Trump's best showing came in a PPP poll – in which Clinton still beat him by 11 points, 51 to 40. Polls by YouGov (57/30) Politico/Morning Consult (49/26) and Echelon Insights (48/22) complete the picture of a debate dominated by the woman in the red suit.
Winning a debate is one thing. Changing minds and votes is quite another. And the details of the polls suggest that Clinton's strong performance could have an impact on the election.
In the CNN poll, 34 percent of respondents said the debate made them more likely to vote for Clinton. In PPP's survey, that number was 40 percent, with 39 percent saying they were less likely to vote for Trump. Forty-one percent of Eschelon respondents said they are now more likely to cast a ballot for Clinton.
Each of the polls asked slightly different questions. In the Politico/Morning Consult poll, 23 percent came away with a "much more favorable" view of Clinton, while 26 percent emerged with a "much less favorable" view of Trump. The YouGov poll did not measure electoral leaning, but Clinton walloped Trump among independents, 33 to 17, and even bested him among men, 27 to 24.