Poll Shocker: Edwards Now Leads in Iowa

[Dos Equis]

Things still up in the air. 

Ron Paul still at 5 percent in Iowa.  Conspiracy theorists, start your engines.   

Poll Shocker: Edwards Now Leads in Iowa

Sunday, December 30, 2007 8:57 PM

In a surprising twist just four days before the Iowa caucuses, John Edwards has moved ahead of rival Hillary Rodham Clinton in the Hawkeye state, according to a new McClatchy-MSNBC poll.

On the GOP side, Mitt Romney is back on top as Mike Huckabee's momentum and support is slowing.

“On the Democratic side, the race is about as close as it can get, but keep an eye on Edwards,” said Brad Coker of Mason-Dixon Polling & Research, which conducted the survey. “Edwards has really moved up since our last poll. [Barack] Obama and Clinton have each slipped a little bit. Romney has rebounded and the Huckabee bubble may have burst. Last time, Huckabee was getting all the good press and nobody had put him under any scrutiny. ... Now he’s under the spotlight, and he’s started to wilt a little.”

Among Democrats in the Dec. 26-28 poll, according to McClatchy:

Former Sen. Edwards of North Carolina has the support of 24 percent;

Sen. Clinton of New York has 23 percent;

Sen. Obama of Illinois has 22 percent;

Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico has 12 percent;

Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware has 8 percent;

Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut has 2 percent;

Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio has 1 percent.

Undecided: 8 percent.

One in five Iowa Democrats say they could still change their minds.

The poll's margin of error was plus or minus five percentage points.

Edwards has gained 3 percentage points since McClatchy-MSNBC polled Iowa before the holidays, while Clinton lost 4 points and Obama lost 3 points.

More Iowa Democrats have a favorable impression of Edwards — and fewer have an unfavorable impression of him — than any other candidate.

One in five Iowa Democrats have an unfavorable opinion of Clinton, and she ranks low among voters looking for honesty and change.

Among Republicans:

Former Massachusetts Gov. Romney has 27 percent;

Former Arkansas Gov. Huckabee has 23 percent;

Former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson has 14 percent;

Sen. John McCain of Arizona has 13 percent;

Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani has 5 percent;

Rep. Ron Paul of Texas has 5 percent;

Rep. Duncan Hunter of California has 1 percent.

Undecided: 12 percent.

One in three Iowa Republicans say they could still change their minds.

Huckabee’s support dropped 8 percentage points since the last McClatchy/MSNBC poll Dec. 3-6.

Huckabee still ranks tops among Iowa Republicans who rank values and family issues their top concerns.

Romney, who had led in the state for months before dropping to second place, regained 7 points since early December.

One-third of Romney's supporters say they still could defect to a rival, while only 22 percent of Huckabee's backers say that. 

http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/msnbc_poll_edwards/2007/12/30/60665.html

[240 is Back]

BB,

what % do you predict Ron Paul will finish in Iowa?

[candidizzle]

although im STRONGLY supporting barack for president.....ive said all along that edwards was the most electible democratic candidate(of the front runners). young, handsome, "man of the people", caucasian male!,...like a modern day jfk. sort of.

[240 is Back]

i think edwards will get the dem nod, to be perfectly honest.

win iowa, NH is on a platter, and clinton/obama will split SC too much for either to matter.

[Straw Man]

i think edwards will get the dem nod, to be perfectly honest.

win iowa, NH is on a platter, and clinton/obama will split SC too much for either to matter.

that's my feeling too. 

[240 is Back]

that's my feeling too. 

imagine if they talked for a year, giving all the lip service to breaking new ground with a woman or a minority... when in realuty, obama is still a child and hilary is too hated (rallying repub base).

Edwards is a pawn, but he's a shrewd pawn.  He'll make Rudy look like gargamel from the smurfs, in a debate. 

[w8tlftr]

imagine if they talked for a year, giving all the lip service to breaking new ground with a woman or a minority... when in realuty, obama is still a child and hilary is too hated (rallying repub base).

Edwards is a pawn, but he's a shrewd pawn.  He'll make Rudy look like gargamel from the smurfs, in a debate. 

And Rudy will make the Breck Girl look weak on national defense and like a socialist on taxes and government programs. With the economy taking a nose dive because of the declining value of the dollar the last thing Americans want is LESS disposable income.

I don't think it looks good for Edwards if he wins the nomination.

Besides, he already lost (as VP) in 2004. The country has already said it doesn't want him.

[JBGRAY]

Do you believe this can severely impact Edwards in a negative way, true or not? 


http://www.nationalenquirer.com/john_edwards_love_child/celebrity/64426

John Edwards would indeed be part of a past Democratic winning formula in capturing the presidency:  a Southern Democrat.  Clinton did it, and Carter did it.  I think by giving the nod to Hillary or Obama, you are empowering the opposition even more and may even spur those who would otherwise sit on the sidelines to come out and vote in opposition to either one.  I could be wrong though.....people are simply fed up with this administration and are bitterly opposed to the Iraq war....that alone is almost enough to propel any Democrat into the presidency.  Aside from Paul, it seems as if the major Republican candidates want to continue on the same course of action.  Meet the new boss....same as the old boss.

I believe the Repubs are going to get trounced, especially if a knucklehead like Huckabee or Guiliani get the nomination.  And I hope they do(though I am a registered Republican).  No one can deny the firestorm that Ron Paul has created, however.  The other Republicans would die to get that kind of grassroots and monetary support that Paul does.  Paul may not get the nomination, but he will get a lot of votes.  And I think that in the next presidential election, his ideas(hopefully) will catch on with some of the major Republican candidates in the future. 

[Dos Equis]

Do you believe this can severely impact Edwards in a negative way, true or not? 


http://www.nationalenquirer.com/john_edwards_love_child/celebrity/64426

How boring.  They could have at least made it a black woman.  Spice things up a little.  I doubt this has any impact so long as it is relegated to the tabloids. 

[240 is Back]

ann coulter went on Hardball a few months back and spilled this story that the Nat'l enquirer had.

No one has found out if it's true, I guess, or we would have heard about it.  Camp Hilary would be trumpeting it from the rooftops... well, unless she prefers edwards grab iowa over obama, leaving her primed to grab NH as the independent voters feel an obama vote is a waste and use it to save ron paul.

[Dos Equis]

"New Iowa Poll: Obama widens lead over Clinton." 

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071231/NEWS09/71231044