Angus Reid Global Monitor : Polls & Research

GOP Has Three Key Players for 2008 Ballot

February 27, 2006
Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Scan) - Republican supporters in the United States have three politicians at the top of their list of prospective presidential nominees for the 2008 election, according to a poll by the Marist College Institute for Public Opinion released by WNBC.

(Angus Reid Global Scan) - Republican supporters in the United States have three politicians at the top of their list of prospective presidential nominees for the 2008 election, according to a poll by the Marist College Institute for Public Opinion released by WNBC.

Current U.S. state secretary Condoleezza Rice, former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, and Arizona senator John McCain are tied for first place among possible candidates with 22 per cent. Former House of Representatives speaker Newt Gingrich is next with five per cent, followed by Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney with four per cent.

Support is lower for New York governor George Pataki, Tennessee senator Bill Frist, Virginia senator George Allen, Nebraska senator Chuck Hagel and Colorado congressman Tom Tancredo.

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

If the 2008 Republican presidential primary were held today, whom would you support if the candidates are:
(Asked of Republicans and Republican leaning independents)

Feb. 2006

Oct. 2005

Condoleezza Rice

22%

21%

Rudy Giuliani

22%

21%

John McCain

22%

19%

Newt Gingrich

5%

5%

Mitt Romney

4%

--

George Pataki

2%

2%

Bill Frist

2%

2%

George Allen

2%

4%

Chuck Hagel

1%

1%

Tom Tancredo

1%

1%

Sam Brownback

--

2%

Other

n.a.

5%

Undecided

17%

17%

Source: Marist College Institute for Public Opinion / WNBC
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 931 registered American voters, including 335 Democrats, 271 Republicans, and 305 independents, conducted on Feb. 13 and Feb. 15, 2006. Margin of error for the subsample of Republicans and Republican leaners is 5.5 per cent.