Angus Reid Global Monitor : Polls & Research

Rodham Clinton is Top U.S. Democrat for 2008

February 20, 2006

(Angus Reid Global Scan) - Supporters of the Democratic Party in the United States have placed current New York senator Hillary Rodham Clinton as the early frontrunner for the 2008 presidential nomination, according to a poll by Gallup released by CNN and USA Today. 39 per cent of respondents would support Rodham Clinton in a primary election.

Massachusetts senator John Kerry—the 2004 presidential nominee—is second with 15 per cent, followed by former vice-president Al Gore with 13 per cent, former North Carolina senator John Edwards with 12 per cent, Delaware senator Joe Biden and former Virginia governor Mark Warner with five per cent each, and Wisconsin senator Russ Feingold with one per cent.

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. 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

Next, I'm going to read a list of people who may be running in the Democratic primary for president in the next election. After I read all the names, please tell me which of those candidates you would be most likely to support for the Democratic nomination for president in the year 2008, or if you would support someone else. Delaware senator Joe Biden; New York senator Hillary Rodham Clinton; former North Carolina senator John Edwards; former vice-president Al Gore; Massachusetts senator John Kerry; former Virginia governor Mark Warner.

Feb. 2006

Dec. 2005

Hillary Rodham Clinton

39%

42%

John Kerry

15%

15%

Al Gore

13%

--

John Edwards

12%

15%

Joe Biden

5%

7%

Mark Warner

5%

3%

Russ Feingold

1%

--

Other

3%

1%

None

3%

4%

All / Any

1%

1%

No opinion

4%

7%

Source: Gallup / CNN / USA Today
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 429 Democrats or Democratic leaners, conducted from Feb. 9 to Feb. 12, 2006. Margin of error is 5 per cent.

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