Posted on 08/11/2005 7:32:11 AM PDT by slowhand520
This better be an outlier. Why is he always in the lead?
THE EARLY FRONT-RUNNER. Two-and-a-half years before the 2008 first-in-the-nation Presidential primary, we have the very first poll numbers. They show 2000 GOP primary victor John McCain still the main man.
The American Research Group's numbers focus on the Republican side, showing the Arizona senator far ahead of the pack with the support of 39 percent of the likely voters in that primary.
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich drew 14 percent, followed by Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney with 8 percent and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist at 5 percent, with Virginia Sen. George Allen and Colorado Rep. Tom Tancredo each at 1 percent. According to the poll, 32 percent of likely voters are undecided.
Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback, Nebraska Sen. Chuck Hagel and Arkansas Gov. Mark Huckabee registered no support.
ARG polled 600 likely primary votes 433 registered Republicans and 167 registered independents Aug. 5-7. The poll had a margin of error of 4 percent.
Among Republicans, McCain drew 37 percent, while 26 percent were undecided, 19 percent favored Gingrich, 9 percent favored Romney, 7 percent favored Frist, and Allen and Tancredo drew 1 percent each.
Among independents, 47 percent were undecided, while McCain drew 45 percent, Romney 6 percent and Gingrich 2 percent.
Why take a poll on the primary so early?
Dick Bennett, ARG's president, said that in the past few weeks, "It's like someone flipped a switch. People are suddenly starting to become interested." And why not have an early benchmark?
Bennett is expected to have a Democratic poll soon.
Rah, rah. Straight talk. McCain in... z-z-z-z-z.
Pile of steaming bullsqueeze.
Consider me in the other 61%!
(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)
Funny. The libs think they can choose the next REpublican candidate.
Relax because it's too soon to pay much attention to any poll at this point.
This could have only been written by someone who doesn't know any real Republicans. Sure, McCain will get the support of liberal Republicans, but that's it. And he will DRIVE conservative Republicans to the polls, just like he did in 2000.
Good. That means there is no where for him to go but down, and with a little luck he won't pull the rip cord when he ejects.
Only has name recognition. When "push comes to shove" in the Republican primary, people will remember his meltdowns during the Bush campaign and McCain/Feingold. He is a loose cannon and could be a Democrat instead of Republican.
The media is trying so hard to break conservative spirts.
Any poll now is nothing more than a popularity contest, polls ALWAYS change when the primary starts and the candidate's names get out more. McCain is only leading because most people know his name, that will change before the primary takes place.
A poll in 2005 is useless.
Interesting list of potential candidates... I like Newt the most.
What's going to happen if Hillary Clinton and John McCain both decide NOT to run? A media break down?
"Good. That means there is no where for him to go but down"
Think about it. His name recognition must be 100%, best of the lot other than Gingrich (who is damaged goods). McCainiac ain't no Hillary, I think he will fade.
Utterly ridiculous.
I'm more concerned that there are so many idiots that would vote for Romney.
McLunatictraitorthieffraud just has the name recognition.
IMHO, your second point trumps your first. I believe that it is more of a name recognition contest at the moment. However, if we can use McVain as a stalking horse as the "front runner" to keep the media off the real candidate, I will not complain.
This is what the dimwits are hoping for.
Newt Gingrich:
"Hillary has become one of the very few people who know what to do about health care."
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