General election polls of the nation and battleground states consistently show Republican nominee Donald Trump besting Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton among independent voters.

This lead among independent/non-party affiliated voters for Trump is also found in polls where Clinton leads overall. For example, in the most recent poll of national voters from Public Policy Polling, Clinton leads Trump 46 percent to 41 percent. Among independent voters, however, Trump leads 42 percent to 35 percent. (RELATED: Race Will Probably Play A Decisive Role In The General Election)

In another recent national poll from CNN/ORC, Trump leads Clinton 44 percent to 39 percent. This poll has Trump leading Clinton by 18 percent among independents, 46 percent to 28 percent. Libertarian candidate Gov. Gary Johnson has 15 percent of the independent support in this poll.

A poll of voters nationally released last week from YouGov has Clinton ahead of Trump 40 percent to 38 percent. That same poll has Trump leading with independent voters 38 percent to 26 percent.

These results are seen likewise in polls of key states. In a poll of Ohio voters from this month, Trump is leading Clinton 42 percent to 39 percent overall. Among independent voters, the GOP nominee is leading Hillary 36 percent to 29 percent.

A mid-July poll of Florida has Trump ahead of Clinton 42 to 39 percent. This poll has Trump leading the Democratic nominee 43 to 30 percent among independent voters. In the month prior, independent voters in Florida supported Clinton 44 percent to 35 percent.

In a recent poll of likely New Hampshire voters, Clinton is leading Trump 39 to 37 percent. Though among independents Trump has a strong lead 40 percent to 20 percent. In a late July poll of Missouri voters, Clinton is leading Trump 41 percent to 40 percent. That same poll has Trump ahead with independents 39 percent to 31 percent.

“‘Independent’ is not synonymous with ‘moderate.’ Independents are pretty conservative; indeed, the ranks of self-describe Independents are filled with conservatives who could not stomach George W. Bush and/or Donald Trump,” Paul Begala, adviser to pro-Hillary Super PAC Priorities USA Action, told The Daily Caller. “Romney won Independents by 5 points, even as he lost the popular vote by 4 percent.”