(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Democrat John Edwards holds the upper hand in a prospective United States presidential contest against Republican Rudy Giuliani, according to a poll by Rasmussen Reports. 50 per cent of respondents would vote for the former North Carolina senator in 2008, while 41 per cent would support the former New York City mayor.

Support for Edwards in this match-up increased by one point since late September, while backing for Giuliani remained stable. In a separate contest, Edwards holds a 10-point advantage over actor and former Tennessee senator Fred Thompson.

On Sept. 28, Edwards discussed his views on inner-city violence, saying, "We start with the president of the United States saying to America, ‘We cannot build enough prisons to solve this problem.’ And the idea that we can keep incarcerating and keep incarcerating—pretty soon we’re not going to have a young African-American male population in America. They’re all going to be in prison or dead. One of the two."

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.

Original Release from Rasmussen Reports 

Polling Data

Possible match-ups - 2008 U.S. presidential election

Giuliani v. Edwards

Thompson v. Edwards

Source: Rasmussen Reports
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 800 likely American voters, conducted on Sept. 26 and Sept. 27, 2007. Margin of error is 3 per cent.

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