January 16, 2008

Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Hillary Rodham Clinton remains the national frontrunner for Democratic Party supporters in the United States, according to a poll by the New York Times and CBS News. 42 per cent of respondents want the New York senator to become their presidential nominee this year.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Hillary Rodham Clinton remains the national frontrunner for Democratic Party supporters in the United States, according to a poll by the New York Times and CBS News. 42 per cent of respondents want the New York senator to become their presidential nominee this year.

Illinois senator Barack Obama is second with 27 per cent, followed by former North Carolina senator John Edwards with 11 per cent, and Ohio congressman Dennis Kucinich with four per cent.

On Jan. 14, Edwards ruled out withdrawing from the presidential race, saying, "I’ve been through this process before. I’m seasoned at it. I know what it takes, and this is going to go on for a long time."

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 presidential election is scheduled for Nov. 4.

Polling Data

Who would you like to see the Democratic Party nominate as its presidential candidate in 2008?

	Jan. 2008	Dec. 2007
Hillary Rodham Clinton	42%	44%
Barack Obama	27%	27%
John Edwards	11%	11%
Dennis Kucinich	4%	2%
Bill Richardson	n.a.	2%
Joe Biden	n.a.	2%
Chris Dodd	n.a.	1%
Someone else / None of these	--	2%
Undecided	14%	6%

Source: New York Times / CBS News
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 508 likely Democratic primary voters, conducted from Jan. 9 to Jan. 12, 2008. Margin of error is 4 per cent.