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Obama, Giuliani Gain in South Carolina

August 03, 2007

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - More Republican Party supporters in South Carolina would back Rudy Giuliani in next year's United States presidential primary, according to a poll by American Research Group. 28 per cent of respondents in the Palmetto State would vote for the former New York City mayor, up six points since July.

Actor and former Tennessee senator Fred Thompson is a close second with 27 per cent, followed by Arizona senator John McCain with 10 per cent. Support is lower for former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, former House of Representatives speaker Newt Gingrich, Texas congressman Ron Paul, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, California congressman Duncan Hunter, and Colorado congressman Tom Tancredo.

In the sample of Democratic Party supporters, Illinois senator Barack Obama is first with 33 per cent, followed by New York senator Hillary Rodham Clinton with 29 per cent, and former North Carolina senator John Edwards with 18 per cent. Support is lower for Delaware senator Joe Biden, New Mexico governor Bill Richardson, Ohio congressman Dennis Kucinich, Connecticut senator Chris Dodd, and retired general Wesley Clark.

The Democratic presidential primary in South Carolina is tentatively scheduled for Jan. 29, 2008, after the Iowa and Nevada caucuses and the New Hampshire primary. The Republican contest in the Palmetto State will take place on Feb. 2, after Iowa and New Hampshire.

In 2004, Edwards won the Democratic South Carolina primary with 45 per cent of the vote, followed by Massachusetts senator John Kerry with 30 per cent, reverend Al Sharpton with 10 per cent, Clark with seven per cent, former Vermont governor Howard Dean with five per cent, and Connecticut senator Joe Lieberman with two per cent. Incumbent president George W. Bush won the Republican convention 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 caucus were being held today, for whom would you vote?

Jul. 2007

Jun. 2007

May 2007

Rudy Giuliani

28%

22%

23%

Fred Thompson

27%

19%

13%

John McCain

10%

23%

32%

Mitt Romney

7%

8%

10%

Newt Gingrich

7%

6%

6%

Ron Paul

3%

1%

--

Mike Huckabee

3%

3%

1%

Duncan Hunter

1%

2%

1%

Tom Tancredo

1%

1%

1%

Sam Brownback

--

1%

1%

Tommy Thompson

--

--

1%

Jim Gilmore

n.a.

1%

1%

Chuck Hagel

n.a.

--

--

Undecided

13%

14%

11%

If the 2008 Democratic presidential caucus were being held today, for whom would you vote?

Jul. 2007

Jun. 2007

May 2007

Barack Obama

33%

21%

18%

Hillary Rodham Clinton

29%

37%

34%

John Edwards

18%

22%

30%

Joe Biden

3%

3%

2%

Bill Richardson

2%

1%

1%

Dennis Kucinich

1%

2%

2%

Chris Dodd

1%

2%

1%

Wesley Clark

1%

1%

1%

Undecided

12%

11%

11%

Source: American Research Group
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 600 likely Republican primary voters in South Carolina, and 600 likely Democratic primary voters in South Carolina, conducted from Jul. 26 to Jul. 30, 2007. Margin of error is 4 per cent.