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Republicans 2008: Giuliani 24%, Thompson 23%
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - The national battle for the Republican Party's presidential nomination in the United States is very close, according to a poll by Rasmussen Reports. 24 per cent of respondents would back former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani in a 2008 primary, while 23 per cent would vote for actor and former Tennessee senator Fred Thompson.
Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney is third with 13 per cent, followed by Arizona senator John McCain with 12 per cent, and former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee with five per cent.
On Aug. 26, Huckabee discussed Thompson's possible bid, saying, "Let's just hope Fred decides it's just too hot this summer to even do this. Maybe he won't get in. But if he does, I think he's going to suck a lot of the oxygen out of the room when he first comes in. But I'm not sure I'd want to be in his position where the expectations are simply just sky-high for him to be able to perform."
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
Republican Presidential Primary Contenders
Aug. 26 | Aug. 16 | Aug. 8 | |
Rudy Giuliani | 24% | 22% | 28% |
Fred Thompson | 23% | 19% | 22% |
Mitt Romney | 13% | 15% | 13% |
John McCain | 12% | 14% | 10% |
Mike Huckabee | 5% | 4% | 4% |
Source: Rasmussen Reports
Methodology: Telephone interviews with approximately 600-650 likely Republican primary voters, conducted from Aug. 23 to Aug. 26, 2007. Margin of error is 4 per cent.