(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Hillary Rodham Clinton is holding on to the top spot in the national race for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination in the United States, according to a poll by Rasmussen Reports. 35 per cent of respondents would vote for the New York senator in a 2008 primary, down seven points since mid-November.

Illinois senator Barack Obama is second with 26 per cent, followed by former North Carolina senator John Edwards with 14 per cent. Support is lower for New Mexico governor Bill Richardson, Delaware senator Joe Biden, Ohio congressman Dennis Kucinich, Connecticut senator Chris Dodd, and former Alaska senator Mike Gravel.

On Dec. 5, Dodd called on Iowa voters to review policy positions before making a choice, saying, "If this process becomes one where this state only chooses candidates based on celebrity and wealth, you’ll have a short run as a caucus state. This is no difference than California and Michigan and Florida. People look to Iowans because you’ve always done this more deliberately."

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

Democratic Presidential Primary Contenders

Source: Rasmussen Reports
Methodology: Telephone interviews with approximately 1,300 likely Democratic primary voters, conducted from Dec. 3 to Dec. 9, 2007. Margin of error is 3 per cent.

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