New Rasmussen Poll: Clinton solidifies frontrunner status, Edwards bounces back

[wyldwolf]

New York Senator Hillary Clinton 38%. Illinois Senator Barack Obama 27%. Former North Carolina Senator John Edwards 16%. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone poll shows little change in the race for the Democratic Presidential nomination. A week ago, it was Clinton 37%, Obama 25% and Edwards 11%.

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson attracts 3% of the vote. Delaware Senator Joe Biden gets 2% and three other candidates attract 1% each (Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd, Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich, and former Alaska Senator Mike Gravel). Eleven percent (11%) remain undecided.

It is interesting to note that 81% of likely Democratic Primary Voters currently express support for one of the top three candidates. During January, the top tier commanded only 62% of the vote. In February, they earned the support of 66%. For the past several months, Clinton, Obama, and Edwards have jointly attracted 77% of the vote on average. Barring a major mistake by one of the big three candidates, it is difficult to envision a scenario for any of the second tier candidates to capture the nomination.

Stability remains the key defining factor of the race, although Clinton seems to solidifying her position as frontrunner. She has been within three points of the 35% level in sixteen of the last seventeen weekly updates. However, she has been at 35% or above for five of the past six weeks. Prior to that, she had been under 35% for six weeks.

Illinois Senator Barack Obama is at 27% this week following four straight weeks at 25% or 26%.

Former North Carolina Senator John Edwards bounced back this week and now earns 16% of the vote. Prior to last week’s poll showing just 11% support for Edwards, the 2004 Vice Presidential nominee had been in the 14% to 18% range for eleven consecutive weeks.

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/2008_democratic_presidential_primary

[mr715]

1. Ya know...

If ALL the undecideds break for Kucinich... He'll... still lose.

Nevermind.

[inthebrain]

2. I think it's way too early for the numbers to matter

I think the real test of these guys has yet to come. The right already has their smear campaign ready to go against all of these guys. Some have already been kicked into gear.

The real question that remains in my mind is if you guys were effective in shutting it off. That's going to be interesting to see how that part plays out. The awareness of this problem amongst the Dem base is at an all time high. Big difference from 2000 and even 2004.

[rodeodance]

3. Glad to see the Edwards upward swing. Too early to elimate any candidate.

[William769]

4. Great news!

I posted yesterday that Edwards will take the lead from Obama by September.