Polls & Research

Romney, Rodham Clinton Ahead in Iowa

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Mitt Romney is the top 2008 United States presidential hopeful for Republican Party backers in the Hawkeye State, according to a poll by Mason-Dixon Polling & Research Inc. 25 per cent of likely GOP caucus voters in Iowa would support the former Massachusetts governor in 2008.

Actor and former Tennessee senator Fred Thompson is second with 17 per cent, followed by former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani with 15 per cent. Support is lower for former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, Arizona senator John McCain, and former Wisconsin governor Tommy Thompson.

In the sample of Democratic Party supporters, New York senator Hillary Rodham Clinton is first with 22 per cent, followed by former North Carolina senator John Edwards with 21 per cent, and Illinois senator Barack Obama with 18 per cent. Support is lower for New Mexico governor Bill Richardson and Delaware senator Joe Biden.

Since 1976, the Iowa caucus has kicked off the process of finding presidential nominees for the two major political parties in the United States. The caucus differs from a presidential primary because the casting of ballots in favour of a particular candidate is preceded by a "gathering of neighbours" where specific platform issues are discussed.

The Republican Party will hold an unofficial straw poll of candidates in Iowa in August 2007, before the actual caucus in 2008.

In 2004, Massachusetts senator John Kerry won the Democratic Iowa caucus with 38 per cent, followed by Edwards with 32 per cent, former Vermont governor Howard Dean with 18 per cent, Missouri congressman Dick Gephardt with 11 per cent, and Ohio congressman Dennis Kucinich with one per cent. Incumbent president George W. Bush won the Republican caucus unopposed.

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

Polling Data

If the 2008 Republican presidential primary were held today, which one of the following candidates would get your vote?

If the 2008 Democratic presidential primary were held today, which one of the following candidates would get your vote?