In New Jersey, McCain and Giuliani in a dead heat; Clinton over Obama by 12

By Editor

John McCain leads Rudy Giuliani 29%-25% among likely Republican primary voters – a statistical dead heat – in a new Monmouth University/Gannett New Jersey poll released this morning. Mike Huckabee follows in a distant third place with 11%, followed by Mitt Romney at 9%, Fred Thompson at 5%, and Ron Paul at 4%.

On the Democratic side, Hillary Clinton leads Barack Obama by twelve percentage points – 42%-30%, among Democratic likely voters surveyed. John Edwards is at 9%, with Dennis Kucinich and Mike Gravel barely a blip on the screen.

“Senator Obama’s early win in Iowa has swung some previously undecided New Jersey voters into his camp, but Senator Clinton’s support among rank and file Democrats here remains strong,” commented Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute. “It appears that Mayor Giuliani’s strategy to ignore the early states may have taken him off the radar screen here. Many of his supporters have now moved to Senator McCain, which, ideologically, is probably an easy switch for New Jersey Republicans. Without a major win between now and Super Tuesday, Giuliani may have to spend precious resources in New Jersey simply to remind voters that he’s still in the running.”

The poll also asked all registered voters in the state – including those not voting in the upcoming February 5th primary – whether selecting a candidate who can bring about needed change or someone who has the right experience is more important to them in this year’s race for the White House. Overall, New Jersey voters are split – 39% are looking for change and 37% prefer experience. Another 18% volunteer that they value both qualities equally and 6% have no opinion. Democrats (41%) and independents (51%) are more likely to value change while Republicans tend to go for experience (53%).

Editor can be reached via email at editor@politicsnj.com.

Email this Article