John McCain

New Jerseyans prefer New Yorkers for the Presidency in 2008, according to a new Strategic Vision poll. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani leads Senator John McCain of Arizona by a 46%-24% margin among New Jersey Republicans, while 34% of the Democrats prefer New York Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Democrats
Hillary Clinton 34%
Al Gore 20%
John Edwards 10%
Russ Feingold 7%
John Kerry 6%
Christopher Dodd 4%
Joseph Biden 2%
Wesley Clark 1%
Mark Warner 1%
Ed Rendell 1%
Bill Richardson 1%
Tom Vilsack 1%
Evan Bayh 1%
Undecided 11%

Republicans
Rudy Giuliani 46%
John McCain 24%
Mitt Romney 6%
Newt Gingrich 5%
George Pataki 1%
Bill Frist 1%
Rick Santorum 1%
George Allen 1%
Chuck Hagel 1%
Undecided 14%

In New Jersey -- now an early primary state -- Hillary Clinton and Rudy Giuliani still lead the pack in the race for President, according to a Strategic Vision poll released today. Among Democrats, Clinton gets 33% of the vote, followed by 19% for Al Gore, 11% for John Edwards, 9% for Russell Feingold, and 6% for John Kerry. Christopher Dodd and Joseph Biden are at 3%, while the other prospective candidates -- Mark Warner (who has signed up major state Democratic fundraisers), Wesley Clark, Ed Rendell, Bill Richardson, Tom Vilsack and Evan Bayh -- are at 1%.

In the GOP filed, Giuliani leads John McCain by a 44%-28% margin. Seven other candidates are in single digits: Mitt Romney (7%), Newt Gingrich (3%), George Pataki (1%), Bill Frist (1%), Rick Santorum (1%), George Allen (1%) and Chuck Hagel (1%).

Nearly half (48%) of New Jersey Republicans say they would like to see Condoleeza Rice run for President in 2008 -- but if she were in the race, she would be at just 13% in the state, with Giuliani still leading McCain, 42%-19%.

Among the small group of elite Republican fundraisers who met privately with Senator John McCain last Friday was former Port Authority Chairman Lewis Eisenberg, a Rumson resident who once served as Finance Chairman of the Republican National Committee. Eisenberg is close to two other potential presidential candidates -- former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and New York Governor George Pataki -- and his presence at the McCain meeting could be interpreted as a sign that the prominent GOP fundraiser does not expect either Giuliani or Pataki to ultimately enter the race. One of McCain's fundraisers in Mark Miller, who worked for Eisenberg at the Republican Leadership Council.

Keeping an ear on WNYC for the next few hours. Brian Lehrer is interviewing John McCain now (someone told he was also on the Jersey Guys on 101.5 FM yesterday), and is promoting his "completely unscientific" exit poll of NYC and NJ voters. I like the show, but something tells me the Corzine-Forrester split among WNYC listeners will be about as lopsided as the Bloomberg-Ferrer race actually is.

Gusciora Blasts Forrester's "Conga-Line of Political Distortions

(Trenton)--- Assembly Federal Relations Chair Reed Gusciora (D-Princeton) blasted Republican gubernatorial candidate Doug Forrester today for conducting a "continual Conga-ine of Political Distortion and Sleeze." Gusciora pointed to the candidate's propensity to forego substantive issues through out the campaign and instead "throw mud, distortions, personal innuendo and sleeze."

Senator John McCain Endorses Forrester
Forrester says he'll fight in Trenton the way McCain does in D.C.

Senator John McCain, nationally known as an agent of change in Washington, D.C., today joined gubernatorial nominee Doug Forrester's Take Back New Jersey tour at Brookdale Community College in Monmouth County. McCain cited the fact that Forrester is unafraid to take independent stances on issues, and strongly endorsed Forrester.