On the eve of the second key battle in the US presidential
nomination race, Democratic Sen. Barack Obama and Republican Sen.
John McCain led in most of the polls.
However, in the New Hampshire primary, both parties' races are
still too close to call, US News and World Report said Monday.
On the Democratic side, Obama (D-IL) is winning in 8 of 10
surveys over Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY).
Similarly, John McCain (R-Ariz.) holds a lead in 8 of the 10
surveys over Mitt Romney, the former Republican governor of
Massachusetts, who is leading in the other two surveys.
Former Sen. John Edwards (D-NC) continues to draw about
one-fifth of Democratic support, while among Republicans, former
mayor of New York Rudy Giuliani, Rep. Ron Paul, and (D-TX) as well
as former governor of Arkansas Mike Huckabee are clustered together
at around 10 percent each.
The New Hampshire Union Leader, a local newspaper, said Tuesday
the polls are "yo-yoing" as Tuesday's vote nears, offering the
"chance of a photo finish" on both sides.
USA Today says the "phenomenal rise" of Obama and the resurgence
of McCain have made the contests too close for comfort for former
frontrunners Clinton and Romney.
The AP says the "wide open and intense" Republican race "has
gotten ever tighter."
An American Research Group poll conducted January 5-6 has Obama
at 39 percent, Clinton 28 percent, John Edwards 22 percent.
Among 600 likely Republican voters, McCain is at 35 percent,
Romney 27 percent, Mike Huckabee 12 percent, Rudy Giuliani 10
percent.
A CNN /WMUR poll has Obama at 39 percent, followed by Clinton,
29 percent, Edwards, 16 percent.
Among Republican voters, McCain leads with 32 percent, followed
by Romney, 26 percent; Huckabee, 14 percent.
A Rasmussen poll of January 4-5 has Obama at 39 percent,
followed by Clinton, 27 percent; Edwards, 18 percent.
A USA Today/Gallup poll of 778 likely Democratic voters
conducted January 4-6 has Obama at 41 percent, followed by
Clinton,28 percent; Edwards, 19 percent.
On Republican side, McCain is at 34 percent; Romney, 30 percent;
Huckabee, 13 percent.
In the quadrennial US presidential election year, the two
parties officially nominate their respective candidate for
presidency at their national conventions, usually held in the
summer before the election in November.
The nomination is determined by the state-by-state primary
elections held between January and June in the election year.
The first-in-the-nation caucus in Iowa on Jan. 3 and the
first-in-the-nation primary in New Hampshire on Jan. 8 are
considered as the winnower or the weather vane for the presidential
nomination process.
(Xinhua News Agency January 8, 2008)
