New poll out; Fred closing on Rudy

As far as American voters are concerned, former senator Fred Thompson is already in the race for the Republican presidential nomination. And he's closing on Rudy Giuliani. The former mayor got 27% in the new Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg Poll being released momentarily. But weeks before his expected announcment Thompson's already got 21%.

With John McCain trailing badly at 12% and Mitt Romney at 10.

On the Democratic side, Hillary Clinton holds strong at 33%, followed by Barack Obama at 22. Al Gore, who has not entered the race, is at 15%, almost twice what John Edwards has (8%).

One interesting finding of the poll...

...was that Obama is the strongest Democrat in hypothetical general elections matchups with Republicans. Younger voters especially like Obama and he runs roughly even with Clinton among more affluent and educated voters.

In general election matchups, top Democrats and Republicans run roughly even, except Giuliani defeats Clinton 49-39 and Romney loses by double-digits to Obama and Edwards. Obama beats McCain 47-35.

McCain continues to show lasting troubles among conservative Republicans with one in four saying they wouldn't vote for him under any circumstances. Though showing poorly in national polls, Romney is ahead or running well in individual state poills like Iowa, which could provide invaluable momentum if he wins there.

For Michael Finnegan's complete story, go here.

— Andrew Malcolm

Comments

[MArtin]

Gravel has won my vote. Gravel2008.us

[nihil]

I predict that Obama will beat out Hillary in a squeaker.
I also predict that John McCain will stage a comeback and win the Republican nomination.
I vwas pleased to see the choice of Jim Webb as Obama's running made. He is a little old for the job (62) and has a few party loyalty issues, but as the bard of the largest ethnic group in America (the Scots-Irish) he will pull most of the Southern states (combined with what I predict will be Obama's strong attraction of the African-America vote (because he is, after all half-African and half American -- a perfect fit).) not to mention the Arab-American vote (Obama's grandfather was .Muslim) and Obama has a close friendship with Farrakhan). Obama will have a little problem with the crazy-Christian vote since he threw Wright under the Straight-Talk express, but so will McCain who apostasized from the Episcopal Church before Queen Elizabeth had the queer bishop to tea and made everything U again. Jim will also pull the very important (at least in Harris County) Vietnamese vote (his wife is Vietnam born and all of his kids are half-Vietnamese. The two couples will look like America when they stand at the rostrum in front of the Capitol. Oh, I also predict that Obama-Webb will crush McCain (running with Nancy Pelosi because no Republican was willing to ride on the same buss with him) and also both Nader-Gore and Barr-Sharpton. Selah.

[nihil]

Help! I fallen into a time-warp, and I can't get up.