Posted on 02/12/2007 6:43:36 AM PST by areafiftyone
MANCHESTER, N.H. - New Hampshire residents likely to vote in the Republican presidential primary a year from now think more highly of former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani than any of his rivals, a poll released Tuesday shows.
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Giuliani's net favorability rating — the proportion of people viewing him favorably minus the proportion viewing him unfavorably — was 56 percent, well ahead of Sen. John McCain (news, bio, voting record), 32 percent, and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, 26 percent, in the University of New Hampshire poll for WMUR-TV in Manchester.
"He's the lesser-known candidate, but he has that rock star quality," poll director Andy Smith said of Giuliani. "He has a charisma that was built after 9-11."
This long before an election, political professionals pay more attention to favorability than voters' choices if they had to vote today. McCain and Giuliani were essentially tied at about 27 percent on that question among likely GOP primary voters, followed by Romney at 13 percent and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich at 9 percent.
The GOP portion of the telephone poll reached 311 likely voters from Thursday to Monday and had an error margin of plus or minus 5.6 percentage points.
Former Sen. John Edwards and Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama (news, bio, voting record) had net favorability ratings ranging from 61 percent to 55 percent, too close to be statistically significant.
When asked for whom they would vote, 35 percent of likely Democratic voters picked Clinton, 21 percent Obama and 15 percent Edwards. Eight percent chose former Vice President Al Gore, who is not running.
The Democratic portion of the phone poll reached 353 likely voters and had an error margin of plus or minus 5.2 percentage points.
Independents may vote in either primary, and 68 percent of them indicated they planned to vote in the Democratic primary compared to 32 percent leaning toward the GOP contest.
"This will hurt Republican candidates who try to appeal to more moderate, independent voters," Smith said.
Please show ONE POLL where McClintok was favored to win. Now you're just blowing smoke.
Principled voters.
Read the details. His support drops 16 percent when conservatives are made aware of his views on key issues such as abortion.
No! just people that want to be able to live with their convictions. People of REAL character.
Dear Scarchin,
"Good point."
Thanks.
"Look - I'm not enamored with any of these but, as I said in my post, I think Rudy is best equipped for the job itself."
Well, it just seemed that you'd ruled out Mr. McCain for co-sponsoring McCain-Feingold.
I'm not sure why it wouldn't rule out someone like Mr. Giuliani who strongly backed McCain-Feingold.
sitetest
Not so fast! I should have pointed out my comment was tongue firmly planted in cheek!
FR`s minions of Rudy Lovers will say anything at anytime to promote and advance this jerks candidacy. If that means trashing Reagan now and praising him in an hour, then so be it. After all, Reagan is the past, conservatism is dead. But Rudy is now, liberalism lives! LOL
I have to wonder how many pols SAY they support finance reform just because it sounds good and doesn't force them to actually DO anything.
We can do better than this thrice-divorced, cross-dressing, anti-2nd Amendment, anti-straight marriage, anti-life RINO. He may be able to beat Hillary, but he's only a RINO. Can we wait until a conservative candidate arises before getting behind someone?
I have a feeling that those supporting this RINO are either part of his campaign, or are Democrats trying to demoralize real Republicans.
You posted that you believed some of these idiots would vote for Obama rather than Giuliani.
That's not "character". That's utter political stupidity.
As for the 2000 GOP primary in New Hampshire, it's important to remember the facts back then. On the Democrat side, Bradley had already flamed out and Gore basically had the Rat nomination already sewed up. Therefore, all the media interest, as well as the Independent voters' attention, was focused on the Republican side. McCain caught the wave at the right time and, taking advantage of a mediocre Bush effort in the state, won big. And let's face it, in 2000 McCain had amassed a pretty conservative voting record, including being strongly pro-life and mostly pro-gun. Now, he's waffled on the gun issue since then, but he's still (as far as I've heard) pro-life.
I repeat, in a primary where the winner might squeak by with 30% of the vote, every activist and every vote will be critical.
You made the mistake of combining two different reports.
So Southern voters are easily influenced by the media? Funny stuff.
"Well thanks for admitting what we Rudy people have been trying to say for a long time."
Well if you know that, and that he would loose, why are you supporting him?
It was no mistake. Sane people don't cherry-pick the positives and ignore the negatives.
This is precisely the point, you are correct.
In fact polling nationally has shown that both McCain and Guliani do worse than Bush did in the south in 2004. However, not enough to flip any states. Meanwhile both do bette rthan Bush ddi in the west, including CO and NV where the DEMs could win and significantly better in the NE and Midwest.
There are a number of close states that could flip to the GOP with McCain or Guliani with out losing many red ones:
The biggest risks with McCain or Guliani would be MO, OH and IA....but those might be lost regardless.
The argument against Guliani is stronger if we elected our leaders with the popular vote than the EV.
For instance GA goes from 58% GOP in 2004 to 52% but NJ goes from 46% to 51%...total GOP votes fall but EV increases
It's a great tactic for Giulani-bashers, like you, to resort to name-calling rhetoric rather than promote the good qualities of the candidate you support. You're not winning the hearts and minds of Rudy supporters.
"'And you actually think someone who is pro-choice and pro-gun-control has a snowballs' chance in hell of winning Georgia.""
well if both candidates are, then one obviously has to. =P
I live in GA...it has been invaded by yankees who are fiscal conservatives but social moderates, it certainly isnt like VA, but if the choice is Hillary or Rudy, Rudy will win, but by less than Bush did in 2004.
I see that you signed up very recently. Welcome to Free Republic.
However, if you want any respect here you have to get your facts straight. "GWB Bush" (what's with the extra "B"?) won NH in 2000 and in fact had he lost that state he would have lost the election.
When you botch basic facts your opinions are discounted like Zimbabwe bonds.
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