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Angus Reid Global Monitor : Polls & Research
Romney Trails Four Democrats in 2008 Race
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Republican Mitt Romney remains behind four prospective Democratic presidential nominees in the United States, according to a poll by Rasmussen Reports. 51 per cent of respondents would support New York senator Hillary Rodham Clinton in 2008, while 41 per cent would vote for the former Massachusetts governor.
Romney trails Illinois senator Barack Obama by 14 points, former North Carolina senator John Edwards by 18 points, and former vice-president Al Gore by 14 points.
Romney—a Mormon—won the 2002 gubernatorial election in Massachusetts, defeating Democratic challenger Shannon O'Brien with 50 per cent of the vote. Romney decided not to seek re-election, and officially launched a presidential exploratory committee on Jan. 4.
On Feb. 8 in Iowa, Romney said he fully supports United States president George W. Bush's proposed strategy for Iraq, declaring, "I think politically the pundits would tell you 'You should get as far away from the president as you can, you should establish a different view, you should say it is wrong.' That may well be the political right thing to do, but it just happens to be the wrong thing to do."
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
Possible match-ups - 2008 U.S. presidential election
Romney v. Rodham Clinton
Feb. 6 | Jan. 11 | Dec. 7 | |
Hillary Rodham Clinton (D) | 51% | 49% | 48% |
Mitt Romney (R) | 41% | 41% | 40% |
Romney v. Obama
Feb. 3 | Jan. 4 | Dec. 7 | |
Barack Obama (D) | 50% | 48% | 47% |
Mitt Romney (R) | 36% | 35% | 38% |
Romney v. Edwards
Feb. 3 | Jan. 4 | Dec. 7 | |
John Edwards (D) | 52% | 54% | 50% |
Mitt Romney (R) | 34% | 32% | 37% |
Romney v. Gore
Feb. 6 | Jan. 11 | Dec. 7 | |
Al Gore (D) | 52% | 50% | 48% |
Mitt Romney (R) | 38% | 39% | 39% |
Source: Rasmussen Reports
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 800 likely American voters, conducted on Feb. 2 and Feb. 3, 2007. Telephone interviews with 800 likely American voters, conducted on Feb. 5 and Feb. 6, 2007. Margin of error is 3.5 per cent.
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