February 19, 2007 - Clinton, Giuliani Neck And Neck In Connecticut, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Dodd A Distant Fourth In Dem Primary Pack
New York Sen. Hillary Clinton and former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani are running neck and neck in Connecticut as they begin their 2008 presidential bid, with 46 percent of voters for Sen. Clinton and 44 percent for Giuliani, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today. Sen. Clinton tops Arizona Sen. John McCain 48 - 40 percent.
In other possible presidential matchups, the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe- ack) University poll finds:
Clinton over former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney 55 - 27 percent;
Illinois Sen. Barack Obama over McCain 43 - 38 percent;
Sen. Christopher Dodd gets 43 percent to McCain's 42 percent, a tie;
McCain over 2004 vice presidential candidate John Edwards 44 - 40 percent.
In a possible Democratic primary, Clinton leads with 33 percent, followed by Obama with 21 percent, former Vice President Al Gore with 9 percent, Sen. Christopher Dodd with 8 percent and Edwards with 5 percent.
Giuliani is the choice of 43 percent of Republicans, followed by McCain with 27 percent, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich at 5 percent and Romney at 4 percent.
"If Sen. Christopher Dodd can't even come close to winning a Democratic primary in his home state, that's obviously a bad sign for his presidential campaign," said Quinnipiac University Poll Director Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D.
Connecticut voters approve 60 - 25 percent of the job Sen. Dodd is doing, but only 30 percent say he would make a good President, with 49 percent saying no and 22 percent undecided.
"While the folks back home think Sen. Dodd is doing a good job in the Senate, they just can't see him in the White House," Dr. Schwartz added.
"The Clinton-Giuliani matchup is close, similar to recent results in Quinnipiac University polls in three potential swing states, Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania, and in New Jersey," Schwartz said. "Could Giuliani's crossover appeal and next-door neighbor status put a blue state like Connecticut into play?"
Clinton gets a 53 - 36 percent favorability rating in Connecticut. Favorability ratings for other contenders are:
61 - 22 percent for Giuliani;
52 - 22 percent for McCain;
48 - 10 percent for Obama, with 40 percent who haven't heard enough to form an opinion;
39 - 28 percent for Edwards, with 30 percent who haven't heard enough;
44 - 49 percent for Gore;
20 - 56 percent for Gingrich;
49 - 30 percent for Dodd;
For Romney, 67 percent haven't heard enough to form an opinion.
Connecticut voters disapprove 72 - 24 percent of the job President George W. Bush is doing.
The war in Iraq is the most important problem facing the country today, 51 percent of voters say. Voters disapprove 74 - 22 percent of President Bush's handling of the war in Iraq and oppose 69 - 25 percent the President's plan to send 22,000 more troops to Iraq.
From February 9 - 12, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,087 Connecticut registered voters with a margin of error of +/- 3 percentage points. The survey includes 269 Republicans with a margin of error of +/- 6 percentage points, and 414 Democrats with a margin of error of +/- 4.9 percentage points.
The Quinnipiac University Poll conducts public opinion surveys in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Florida, Ohio and the nation as a public service and for research. For more data --
www.quinnipiac.edu and click on Institutes and Centers, or call (203) 582-5201.
http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x1296.xml?ReleaseID=1018
