Polls & Research

Republicans 2008: McCain 30%, Giuliani 26%

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - John McCain is the top presidential contender for Republican Party sympathizers in the United States, according to a poll by SRBI Public Affairs released by Time. 30 per cent of respondents would support the Arizona senator in a 2008 primary.

Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani is second with 26 per cent, followed by former House of Representatives speaker Newt Gingrich with 14 per cent, and former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney with five per cent.

Support is lower for Kansas senator Sam Brownback, former New York governor George Pataki, Colorado congressman Tom Tancredo, Nebraska senator Chuck Hagel, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, and former Virginia governor Jim Gilmore.

On Jan. 26, Pataki discussed his views on the Iraq war, saying, "Giving a reasonable deadline (to the Iraqi government) is not unfair on our part when you look at the length of time we have already been in Iraq. (...) Sending more American troops into Baghdad is unnecessary to achieve the core victory over al-Qaeda in Iraq."

In American elections, candidates require 270 votes in the Electoral College to win the White House. In November 2004, Republican George W. Bush earned a second term after securing 286 electoral votes from 31 states. Democratic nominee John Kerry received 252 electoral votes from 19 states and the District of Columbia.

Bush is ineligible for a third term in office. The next presidential election is scheduled for November 2008.

Polling Data

Now I'm going to read a list of candidates who might be running for the Republican Party presidential nomination in 2008. If the Republican presidential primary or caucus in your state were being held today, listen carefully to the names and then tell me which candidate you would be most likely to vote for.