TODAY the USA goes to the polls faced with an unpopular choice - but who do Hampshire MPs think will take the Oval Office?

As the Clinton Trump marathon slanging match comes to an end we asked Southampton’s MPs and and readers who they would vote for if they had the chance.

The city’s MPs were united in favour of Democrat candidate Hillary Clinton.

Southampton Itchen’s Tory MP Royston Smith said: “The polls are close but I think Clinton will win. She is strong in traditionally Democrat states and with African Americans, women and Hispanics.

"Trump is divisive but has exceeded all expectations including getting the nomination in the first place.

"That says a lot about the general discontent and malaise with the system and the politicians in the US.

“People in the UK need to have a sense of perspective though. A Trump presidency would be different and perhaps somewhat challenging but the US President still has to work with Congress and the Senate to get any of their programme through.

“Clinton will be stability and business as usual which is perhaps why nearly half of Americans are not going to vote for her.

"I have talked to a lot of people and a bit like the UKIP phenomenon in the UK, voters seem to know what they don’t want but struggle to articulate what they do want. For that reason they are choosing Trump.

“So, on balance I think the world will wake up on Wednesday morning with another President Clinton and the first woman in the Oval Office.

"The UK government of course stands ready to work with whoever becomes President and I have no doubt that our ‘special relationship’ will prevail.”

Southampton Test’s Labour MP Alan Whitehead said he would vote “Clinton of course,” because “of all the negative points of view of the dreadful prospect of what might happen to America if Trump were elected.

“We’ve just recently had the climate change conference which was strong in getting America to agree.

"And then you have Trump who just will not take part in any climate negotiations and thinks that climate change is an invention of the Chinese.

“There are a very real number of world items at stake so from the point of view of world progress and stability it has to be Clinton.”

Who do you think will win?

“It looks like in terms of support Hilary Clinton has the edge on it.

“But there are questions about this as a very strange election in that we have a candidate who isn’t concerned about the rules.

“And there is this thing known as ‘shy voter syndrome’ where people don’t want to say who they are going to vote for.”

Daily Echo:

PICTURED: Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton depicted on pumpkins (Guy Bell/Sainsbury’s/PA Wire)

Could there be a surprising Brexit-style outcome?

“This is conceivable but there here is early voting, which traditionally tends to favour the Democrats who have had a heavy early turnout.

“In terms of Hillary Clinton she would be a very competent president and a President Clinton is clearly enormously preferable.”

Romsey and Southampton North’s Conservative MP Caroline Nokes said: “I think most people would agree that, realistically, Hillary Clinton is the only candidate to vote for in the US election.

"Whilst she has many faults and I do not agree with all of her politics, I do think that Republican candidate and reality television star Mr Trump has embodied a darker side of politics that most of us are simply not used to seeing.

"However, as with this year’s EU referendum, it is simply too hard to predict what the result will be.

“I would be very pleased to finally see a female US President and will be watching on Wednesday morning to see the outcome.”

Representing the business community, the chief executive of Hampshire Chamber of Commerce, Stewart Dunn was also rooting for Hillary.

“She is the most suitable, stable and qualified candidate,” said Mr Dunn.

“However it could go either way.

“We may see a continuation of this so-called ‘people’s revolution.’

“I think a lot of people are fed up with the tried and trusted apparatus of government and are willing to take that risk.

"Running a business and government are two very different things. But people want change.

“From a personal perspective I would go with the establishment and as a first to have a lady president it would be great.”