Mike Huckabee has surged into a virtual tie with front-runner Rudy Giuliani in the national 2008 Republican presidential race two weeks before the first contest, according to a Reuters/Zogby poll released on Wednesday.
Huckabee, a former governor of Arkansas whose campaign has caught fire in recent weeks, wiped out an 18-point deficit in one month to pull within one point of Giuliani, 23 percent to 22 percent.
Among Democrats, Hillary Clinton’s national advantage over second-place rival Barack Obama shrunk slightly to eight percentage points as the races for the White House tightened in both parties. Clinton had an 11-point edge last month.
You know, I’m beginning to think I really might enjoy a Huckabee vs. Obama campaign!
I don’t think Huckabee will last as conservatives nation-wide get a look at him. He is a social conservative and a political liberal (taxes, spending, immigration law enforcement).
Social conservatives will never support the abortion-loving, three-times married cross-dresser.
Evangelicals will find it hard to support a Mormon as more of the loopy doctrines of that cult are proclaimed by Moveon operatives.
A testing time for Republicans. But look what the Dems have – the Boy Wonder vs. Lady Macbeth now vying for the throne.
Gordian, I often agree with you, but don’t you think “cross dresser” is a bit much? The term implies someone with a habit, vs. somebody who did it as a stunt in jest. I agree he’s got a problem with the pro-“choice” and adultery thing.
There is no national presidential race for either party. At this point there are statewide primary races in IA. NH, SC, FL, MI, etc. A national poll is really meaningless. Even before the general election, the action is state by state and what matters is electoral college votes, not national polls.
And one other thing: when reports are made about these races, like the report given by Tim Russert on the NBC Nightly News last night, check out the margin of error for the polls used. Often the difference between the top candidates is within the margin of error.
NBC/WSJ has Guiliani and Romney tied nationally. Guiliani has fallen 13 points since November:
http://news.aol.com/elections/story/_a/support-for-giuliani-falls-poll-finds/20071219211109990001
# 4, Katherine, the remark was partly in jest – I meant that a stunt that wins plaudits in NYC won’t necessarily play well in Peoria and will be exploited by his opponents there – well, that’s politics.