[FairOpinion]

I think Giuliani CAN beat Hillary and he would be strong on the War on Terror, which is still the most important issue for the forseeable several years.

[Kimmers]

AGREED !!!!!!

[RWR8189]

Once the race actually starts, not a chance in hell Guiliani gets out of SC or IA.

[padre35]

One of th Rudy's drawbacks is he probably cannot carry his home state of NY against Clinton.

[GSlob]

I agree.

[deport]

This is going to be two interesting run ups to the primaries with both parties having a lot of early entries. Wasn't there something like 6 or more in some of the democrat debates last time?....

Polling Data

If the 2008 Republican presidential primary were held today, for whom would you vote if the candidates were:

	Dec. 2006	Aug. 2006	Mar. 2006
Rudy Giuliani	30%	27%	29%
John McCain	23%	25%	22%
Newt Gingrich	9%	14%	8%
Mitt Romney	8%	5%	4%
Sam Brownback	3%	n.a.	n.a.
George Pataki	2%	4%	2%
Duncan Hunter	1%	n.a.	n.a.
Chuck Hagel	--	3%	1%
Other	1%	3%	3%
Not sure	22%	14%	22%
Would not vote	2%	1%	1%

Source: Opinion Dynamics / Fox News
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 900 registered American voters, conducted on Dec. 5 and Dec. 6, 2006. Margin of error for the sample of registered Republican voters is 5 per cent.

[Cringing Negativism Network]

Draft Santorum!

[KingKenrod]

In NY state I give Giuliani a 50/50 chance of beating Hillary, and I don't believe she (or any Democrat) can win without NY's 31 electoral votes.

The one thing about Giuliani that bothers me is not so much his social liberalism, but his ability to extend that liberalism through his Supreme Court nominations. It's the one area where the President really has power to shape social change. I'd like to hear from him about his judicial philosophy and what kind of judges he'd be willing to support.

[Nonstatist]

If he was a fiscal conservative, I could play along.

[ScottfromNJ]

So I guess the pundits in the establishment media have decided for us. It's either Giuliani or McCain, conservative candidates need not apply. Or the Republican party has been hopelessly overrun by RINO's.

[what's up]

I like certain aspects of Rudy and his leadership style (despite his stance on sexual issues which I don't like, but he's been married 3 times I think...what do you expect?).

Anyway, if he becomes President, he is going to fill the gov't with tons of NY'ers who will be with us a long time...many of whom will be liberal-leaning.

I would vote for either Rudy or McCain against Hillary, but it's early. I wonder who else might pop up.

[JCEccles]

Romney is just as decisive, just as committed to defending America, and arguably brighter than Giuliani.

Romney has far better business smarts, and this nation goes nowhere without sound tax and business policies.

Better yet, Romney has been faithfully married to one wife for almost 40 years and has reared outstanding and accomplished children from that union. By his actions Romney has proved that he has a profound respect for traditional marriage and families--that he doesn't merely parrot the talk.

Giuliani has undeniable stellar talents. But he is also bankrupt in some fundamentally important areas of life.

And yes, one's personal and family life does matter in a presidential candidate. If we learned nothing else from the Clinton debacle, it is that important truth.

[Maceman]

The nomination is Romney's to lose.

[samtheman]

Rudy Giuliani remains the most popular presidential hopeful for Republican Party sympathizers in the United States

Republican Party sympathizers... ???

[gitmo]

The Republicans need to put Conservatives in office. Look what has happened in this last election.

[sodpoodle]

Rudy has FDR's grin. That might sway some MSM hacks.

[BradyLS]

Oh, great day! Party R is back on track! *dance*

[Defender2]

If this will be the way it goes down to, between McCain and Guliani, Rudy's lead definitely will increase.

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

With the MSM picks for the GOP POTUS, there will be plenty of people on FreeRepublic screaming "If we don't elect a democrat with an R by their name, we will get a democrat with a D by their name".

This sure worked well the last election. /S

[airborne]

It's a little early for me to hitch my wagon to either of these 'moderate' Pubbies.

I'd prefer a candidate like Duncan Hunter or Rick Santorum.

[Hydroshock]

Rino Rudy is unelectable. He can not win a national election. If he gets the nomination this anti gun, pro gay, pro abortion, and pro illegal invader will split the party. Many social conservatives and Evangelicals will either stay home or go third party. To be blunt a vote for Rino Rudy is a vote for a rat.