
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton pauses while speaking at a rally at Theodore Roosevelt High School in Des Moines, Iowa, Friday, Oct. 28, 2016. AP PHOTO
FORT LAUDERDALE, United States鈥擳he race for the White House narrowed noticeably on Sunday as Hillary Clinton sought to shake off a renewed FBI probe of her emails and Donald Trump blitzed western states nine days ahead of the vote.
An ABC 黑料社/Washington Post poll put the Democratic presidential candidate just one point ahead of her Republican challenger Donald Trump at 46-45 percent in a four-way race.
In Florida, which is a must-win for the tycoon, Trump overcame a one-point deficit in September to enjoy a four-point lead, according to a New York Times Upshot/Siena College Research Institute poll.
The 69-year-old former secretary of state hit the ground hard Sunday, ticking off five campaign stops in Miami and Fort Lauderdale 鈥 an early vote brunch in an Irish pub, an African-American Baptist church, a soul food restaurant, an early voting site and a rally in a gay nightclub.
Much of her two-day visit to the sunshine state focused on encouraging early voting and she says a record 200 million Americans had registered to vote, 20 million of whom had already done so.
鈥淲e鈥檝e got some big issues we鈥檝e got to address, the last thing we need is somebody who is a loose cannon,鈥 she told New Mount Olive Baptist Church, swiping her rival in Fort Lauderdale.
But her campaign was jolted when FBI boss James Comey wrote to lawmakers Friday announcing that his agents are reviewing a newly discovered trove of emails, resurrecting an issue Clinton had hoped was behind her.
鈥淲e cannot get distracted by all the noise in the political environment, we鈥檝e got to stay focused,鈥 she said. 鈥淭he best way to repudiate a negative, hateful, bigoted vision is by voting.鈥
READ: Clinton faces FBI probe as race enters final 10 days
However, Trump jumped on the fresh controversy campaigning in Nevada, Colorado and New Mexico on Sunday, when he told a Las Vegas rally that 鈥渉er criminal action was willful, deliberate, intentional and purposeful.鈥
FBI boss under fire
The Clinton campaign went on the offensive against America鈥檚 top cop, with the nominee calling Comey鈥檚 move 鈥渄eeply troubling鈥 on Saturday and her aides stepping up the pressure on Sunday.
鈥淚t was long on innuendo, short on facts, so we鈥檙e calling on Mr. Comey to come forward and explain what鈥檚 at issue here,鈥 Clinton鈥檚 campaign chairman John Podesta told CNN.
READ: Clinton: FBI probe statement 鈥榙eeply troubling鈥
Leading Democratic senators have also urged Comey and his boss, Attorney General Loretta Lynch, to make clear by Monday night whether the new emails are pertinent to the investigation into Clinton鈥檚 handling of classified material that the FBI closed in July.
Although the candidate looking to make history as America鈥檚 first female president remains the overwhelming favorite in the race, Trump has sought to exploit the FBI鈥檚 decision by deflecting attention from his own scandal over alleged sexual misconduct accusations.
鈥淗illary鈥檚 corruption shreds the principles on which our nation was found,鈥 he told the Las Vegas rally on Sunday. 鈥淭he only way to beat corruption is to show up and vote.鈥
鈥淲e are now leading in many polls, and many of these were taken before the criminal investigation announcement on Friday 鈥 great in states!鈥 the 70-year-old real estate billionaire posted earlier on Twitter.
He also kicked off the penultimate Sunday before Election Day in church, attending a service in Las Vegas, but making no remarks. He has two further rallies scheduled Sunday in Colorado and New Mexico.
Trump pounces
According to the New York Times, the FBI renewed its probe after agents seized a laptop used by Clinton鈥檚 close aide, Huma Abedin, and her now estranged husband, Anthony Weiner.
A disgraced former congressman who resigned in 2011 after sending explicit online messages, Weiner is under investigation over allegations he sent sexual overtures to a 15-year-old girl.
Trump鈥檚 campaign manager Kellyanne Conway lashed out at Clinton on Sunday for criticizing Comey鈥檚 handling of the email trove.
鈥淪he just has to call her friend and confidante Huma Abedin and say tell us what鈥檚 in the emails, tell us what鈥檚 on the devices that you shared with your pedophile husband,鈥 Conway told Fox 黑料社.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 a terrible strategy but it鈥檚 very much the strategy of Hillary Clinton throughout her career which is to shoot the messenger, attack the person who鈥檚 calling into question your fitness for office.鈥
Clinton鈥檚 campaign has been overshadowed from the start by allegations she put US secrets at risk by using a private server based in her home for all email correspondence as secretary of state.
Trump on Saturday called the latest development 鈥渢he biggest political scandal since Watergate.鈥
However, experts say it is highly unlikely the FBI will make significant progress in the investigation before polling day and few observers expect Clinton will ultimately face criminal charges.
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