Edwards, Dean, Kerry, Lieberman tied for lead in South Carolina

[CMT]

South Carolina is going to be a major battleground and right now there is a virtual deadheat among four candidates for the lead in the state according to a new Zogby Poll.

Edwards 10% (up from 5% in July)
Dean 9% (up from 4% in July)
Kerry 8% (up from 5% in July)
Lieberman 8% (down from 13% in July)
Shapton 5% (down from 8% in July)
Gephardt 4% (down from 8% in July)
Graham 2% (down from 3% in July)
Clark 2%
Mosley Branu 1% (down from 3% in July)
Kucinich 1%
Someone else 6% (down from 105)
Not Sure: 46%

With that many undecideds this is going to be competitive, according to Zogby, "No candidate has the edge, and it looks like SC will be shaped by Iowa and NH. In this kind of vacuum, Clark may seize the moderate mantle. Once a hope for Lieberman, this looks like an early fizzle..."

Edwards has a favorable rating of 37-11 with 47% unfamiliar
Dean favorable of 28-10 with 56% unfamiliar
Kerry 36-11 favorable with 47% unfamiliar
Lierberman 45-17 fav rating with 32% unfamiliar.

Good news for Edwards and Dean who both gained two times or more the support they had in July. Infact, Dean moved from sixth place in July to a deadheat for first today.

http://www.zogby.com/news/ReadNews.dbm?ID=731

[GainesT1958]

1. Well, I guess this gives John Edwards a chance to tell detractors:

"See, look--I'm in the lead in S.C. why SHOULDN'T I keep my hat in the ring? :eyes:

Of course, that still doesn't answer the question of whether it's best for him to REMAIN "in the ring"--but he CAN say he's actually ahead somewhere!

B-)

[renie408]

12. Edwards declares on the 16th

and I will be interested to see where he goes from there. His campaign has started to gear up a bit with a new website, etc. According to the campaign stuff I have been getting, he plans to 'get serious' after his declaration. I think he stands a good chance to win SC and to do respectably (no worse than Clinton) in NH and Iowa.

[Freddie Stubbs]

2. If Edwards doesn't win in SC, he is toast

He is leading Dean by only a wisker, despite being better known. As more people get to know Dean, Edwards may slip to 2nd place.

[renie408]

11. ROFL

Or Dean might slip...or a UFO might land and abduct them both, leaving clones in their place...or ....

[cjbuchanan]

3. SC is a must win for Edwards and Lieberman

The way it looks now, both Edwards and Lieberman are not going to win Iowa or NH, so they need to make a score in SC. Edwards has the most riding on it due to his geographical connection. Lieberman needs to win in order to show that he can win. Also, since SC is viewed as a more conservative state, if Lieberman does not win there, where can he win?

Dean, Kerry and Gephardt have the most to gain here. If any of them show well (a strong second or third), it would be seen as a win for them. The only way they could lose is if they get next to none of the vote (less then 8%).

As for Clark, I think having the title of General will help a bit, but it will still come down to his stance on the issues and what he will do for the economy. There is an opening there, the question is will Clark capitalize on it.

Just my thoughts.

[CMT]

4. as Zogby suggests

whoever does well in Iowa and NH will probably pick up traction in SC.
Lieberman is fading in all of these early states--despite a recent Gallup poll giving him a nationwide lead.

[CMT]

6. I agree

Edwards needs to win in SC since he is from a neigboring state. Lieberman needs to do well to make an impression somewhere, but it appears he is fading in SC like he is in other early states.

[burr]

5. I have a different view...

First of all, polls in South Carolina are probably similar to polls in Virginia or Georgia. Secondly this poll shows there is no frontrunner, South Carolina is wide open!

This kind of poll really doesn't show much else...when the candidates are ranked this closely together.

Was anyone else offended by the title "Road to Boston"? In the past it has been called the "Road to Washington" or "the Road to the White House".

[DrFunkenstein]

7. All Roads Lead To Boston

If it were held in NYC, it would be the road to NYC. Unfortunately, the GOP has already beat us to cheaply exploiting the tragic deaths of thousands of Americans.

[burr]

8. In 1992 it wasn't called the road to NYC or Houston for the GOP ...

it was the Road to the White House. The GOP primary in 1996 was not the road to San Diego.

[sandnsea]

9. Go John!!!

He can really get Southerners to listen to the Democratic message better than any other candidate. No matter what happens in the primaries, we need his voice and we need him to do well in the South. Good for him. I really hope his campaign starts taking off so people across America can see all kinds of Democrats in this race!

[SCantiGOP]

10. this is zogby only

I live in Columbia. 2 polls that have come out in the last few weeks show Leiberman with a large, aroound 12% lead, over Kerry, Dean and Edwards who are all within a point or two of each other. I think Leiberman will win SC because of how conservative this state is; the fact that he will spend a lot of time and money here; and the open primary will mean a lot of republicans will vote for him as the "least objectionable" democrat. Losing SC could finish Edwards campaign (I think he's really running for 2008 anyway, but a 2nd place would be a big boost to the others, especially the New Englanders.

[surfermaw]

13. Zogby Poll...an email from Edwards

Edwards Leads in New
South Carolina Poll
The latest South Carolina Zogby International poll shows John Edwards in the lead with 10 percent - double his support from their last poll in July!
The campaign has seen upward movement in polls throughout the country and as we move forward, voters in South Carolina, and all over America, will respond to Edwards' plan to make America work for all of us