September 04, 2006

Abstract: - Rudy Giuliani remains the top presidential contender for Republican supporters in the United States, according to a poll by Opinion Dynamics released by Fox News. 27 per cent of respondents would support the former New York City mayor in a 2008 presidential primary, down two points since March.

- Rudy Giuliani remains the top presidential contender for Republican supporters in the United States, according to a poll by Opinion Dynamics released by Fox News. 27 per cent of respondents would support the former New York City mayor in a 2008 presidential primary, down two points since March.

Arizona senator John McCain is second with 25 per cent, followed by former House of Representatives speaker Newt Gingrich with 14 per cent. Current state secretary Condoleezza Rice—who was backed by 18 per cent of respondents in September 2005—was not included in the survey.

Support is lower for former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, New York governor George Pataki, Nebraska senator Chuck Hagel, Virginia senator George Allen and Tennessee senator Bill Frist.

Giuliani garnered national and international attention in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. In 2000, McCain won seven Republican presidential primaries in the U.S., but retired from the race after eventual nominee George W. Bush became the frontrunner.

On Aug. 30, Giuliani endorsed Allen in this November's Senate election, saying, "The man understands what's at stake in the war against the terror, the danger we're in and the multifaceted effort that is necessary to reduce the risk of terrorism and then ultimately eliminate it."

In American elections, candidates require 270 votes in the Electoral College to win the White House. In November 2004, 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

If the 2008 Republican presidential primary were held today, for whom would you vote if the candidates were:

	Aug. 2006	Mar. 2006	Sept. 2005
Rudy Giuliani	27%	29%	26%
John McCain	25%	22%	23%
Newt Gingrich	14%	8%	7%
Mitt Romney	5%	4%	3%
George Pataki	4%	2%	n.a.
Chuck Hagel	3%	1%	n.a.
George Allen	3%	3%	2%
Bill Frist	2%	5%	2%
Condoleezza Rice	n.a.	n.a.	18%
Other	3%	3%	2%
Not sure	14%	22%	17%
Would not vote	1%	1%	1%

Source: Opinion Dynamics / Fox News
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 900 registered American voters, conducted on Aug. 29 and Aug. 30, 2006. Margin of error for the sample of registered Republican voters is 5 per cent.