January 04, 2008

Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Public support for John McCain increased in the national race for the Republican Party’s presidential nomination in the United States, according to a poll by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press. 22 per cent of respondents would like to see the Arizona senator as their 2008 nominee, up five points since November.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Public support for John McCain increased in the national race for the Republican Party’s presidential nomination in the United States, according to a poll by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press. 22 per cent of respondents would like to see the Arizona senator as their 2008 nominee, up five points since November.

Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani is second with 20 per cent—down 11 points since October—followed by former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee with 17 per cent, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney with 12 per cent, and actor and former Tennessee senator Fred Thompson with nine per cent. Support is lower for Texas congressman Ron Paul, and California congressman Duncan Hunter.

Yesterday in New Hampshire, Giuliani discussed the differences between himself and McCain, saying, "I’m very current on the world. I don’t know the whole world. (...) He has had a lot of experience. But so have I. As mayor of New York, I got involved in every foreign policy dispute that exists."

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

I’m going to read you the names of some possible Republican presidential candidates. Who would you most like to see nominated as the Republican Party’s candidate for president in 2008?

	Dec. 2007	Nov. 2007	Oct. 2007
John McCain	22%	17%	18%
Rudy Giuliani	20%	26%	31%
Mike Huckabee	17%	11%	8%
Mitt Romney	12%	13%	9%
Fred Thompson	9%	13%	17%
Ron Paul	4%	4%	3%
Duncan Hunter	1%	1%	--
Tom Tancredo	n.a.	--	1%
Other	1%	1%	1%
None	2%	3%	4%
Not sure	10%	11%	8%

Source: Pew Research Center for the People and the Press
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 471 registered Republicans or Republican leaners, conducted from Dec. 19 to Dec. 30, 2007. Margin of error is 5 per cent.