(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Republican John McCain is the most popular presidential candidate in the United States, according to a poll by Gallup released by USA Today. 50 per cent of respondents would vote for the Arizona senator in head-to-head contests against two prospective Democratic rivals.

McCain holds a three-point lead over New York senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, and a six-point advantage over Illinois senator Barack Obama. In other contests, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee trails Rodham Clinton by seven points, and Obama by 10 points.

Yesterday, McCain expressed disappointment with the country’s economic standing, saying, "As a Republican, I stand before you embarrassed. Embarrassed that we let that spending get out of control, and it led to corruption. Now we have former members of Congress residing in prison. If I’m president, it’s going to stop. (...) I’m not too astonished. We let spending get totally out of control, and it continues today, and I’m sorry to tell you this."

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

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

McCain v. Rodham Clinton

McCain v. Obama

Huckabee v. Rodham Clinton

Huckabee v. Obama

Source: Gallup / USA Today
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,790 American registered voters, conducted from Jan. 10 to Jan. 13, 2008. Margin of error is 3 per cent.

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