New Jersey (NJ) Poll * March 1, 2007 * Giuliani Widens Lead Over Clin - Quinnipiac University

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March 1, 2007 - Giuliani Widens Lead Over Clinton In New Jersey, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Front-Runners Widen Lead In Dem, GOP Primaries

Widening his lead in the 2008 presidential race in New Jersey, former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani tops New York Sen. Hillary Clinton 50 - 41 percent, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today. Arizona Sen. John McCain ties Sen. Clinton 45 - 45 percent.
This compares to a 48 - 41 percent Giuliani lead over Clinton in a January 25 New Jersey poll by the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University. In that survey, McCain had 44 percent to Clinton's 43 percent.
In this latest survey, independent voters back Giuliani 55 - 34 percent over Clinton; Giuliani also gets 91 percent of Republicans and 15 percent of Democrats. In a McCain- Clinton matchup, independents back the Republican 50 - 37 percent; McCain also gets 83 percent of Republicans and 10 percent of Democrats.
In other possible 2008 matchups:
Giuliani tops Obama 50 - 39 percent; Obama edges McCain 45 - 41 percent.
"It's still early in the 2008 presidential race, but Rudy Giuliani, the mayor next door and hero of 9/11, has hit the 50 percent mark in New Jersey, widening his lead over Sen. Clinton and leaving Sen. McCain in the dust in a Republican primary matchup," said Clay F. Richards, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.
"As an almost favorite son, Giuliani is threatening to turn normally Democratic New Jersey from blue to red, but no one should count Sen. Clinton out this early," Richards added.
In a Democratic primary matchup, Clinton gets 41 percent, with 19 percent for Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, 10 percent for former Vice President Al Gore, 5 percent for former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards and 3 percent for Delaware Sen. Joseph Biden.
Giuliani leads a Republican primary with 58 percent, followed by McCain with 15 percent, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich with 5 percent and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney with 2 percent.
New Jersey voters give Giuliani a 66 - 20 percent favorability rating. Favorability ratings for other contenders are:
47 - 43 percent for Clinton; 48 - 24 percent for McCain; 42 - 11 percent for Obama, with 45 percent who haven't heard enough to form an opinion.
President Bush's Approval
New Jersey voters disapprove 70 - 26 percent of the job President George W. Bush is doing, tying his lowest score ever in the Garden State. By a 71 - 23 percent margin, voters say the country is on the wrong track.
Voters disapprove 75 - 22 percent of the President's handling of the war in Iraq and say 64 - 32 percent that going to war in Iraq was the wrong thing to do.
Voters oppose 69 - 28 percent the President's plan to send 22,000 more U.S. military forces into Iraq.
From February 20 - 25, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,302 New Jersey voters with a margin of error of +/- 2.7 percentage points. The survey includes 405 Republicans, with a margin of error of +/- 4.9 percentage points, and 454 Democrats with a margin of error of +/- 4.6 percentage points.
The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public opinion surveys in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Florida, Ohio and nationally as a public service and for research. For more data -- http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x271.xml, or call (203) 582-5201.
1. (If registered Democrat) If the 2008 Democratic primary for President were being held today, and the candidates were Al Gore, Tom Vilsack, Joe Biden, John Edwards, Bill Richardson, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Chris Dodd, Wesley Clark and Dennis Kucinich for whom would you vote?
REGISTERED DEMOCRATS Tot Men Wom Gore 10% 14% 7% Vilsack - - - Biden 3 4 3 Edwards 5 6 4 Richardson 1 1 2 Clinton 41 34 46 Obama 19 16 20 Dodd - - - Clark 1 2 - Kucinich 1 3 - SMONE ELSE(VOL) 2 3 1 WLDN'T VOTE(VOL) 2 2 2 DK/NA 15 14 15
TREND: (If registered Democrat) If the 2008 Democratic primary for President were being held today and the candidates were Al Gore, Tom Vilsack, Joe Biden, John Edwards, Bill Richardson, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Chris Dodd, Wesley Clark and Dennis Kucinich, for whom would you vote? (na = not asked)
REGISTERED DEMOCRATS Mar 1 Jan 25 2007 2007 Gore 10% 11% Vilsack - - Biden 3 6 Edwards 5 8 Richardson 1 1 Clinton 41 30 Obama 19 16 Dodd - - Clark 1 2 Kucinich 1 - Kerry na 6 SMONE ELSE(VOL) 2 2 WLDN'T VOTE(VOL) 2 1 DK/NA 15 17
2. (If registered Republican) If the 2008 Republican primary for President were being held today, and the candidates were Rudy Giuliani, John McCain, Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Duncan Hunter, Sam Brownback, Tommy Thompson, Jim Gilmore, Chuck Hagel, Mike Huckabee, George Pataki, Tom Tancredo and Ron Paul for whom would you vote?
REGISTERED REPUBLICANS Tot Men Wom Giuliani 58% 57% 59% McCain 15 17 13 Romney 2 2 2 Gingrich 5 5 5 Hunter - - - Brownback - - - Thompson - - - Gilmore 1 2 - Hagel 1 2 - Huckabee - - 1 Pataki 1 2 - Tancredo 1 2 1 Paul - - - SMONE ELSE(VOL) 2 2 3 WLDN'T VOTE(VOL) 2 2 3 DK/NA 10 7 13
TREND: (If registered Republican) If the 2008 Republican primary for President were being held today and the candidates were Rudy Giuliani, John McCain, Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Duncan Hunter, Sam Brownback, Tommy Thompson, Jim Gilmore, Chuck Hagel, Mike Huckabee, George Pataki, Tom Tancredo and Ron Paul, for whom would you vote? (na = not asked)
REGISTERED REPUBLICANS Mar 1 Jan 25 2007 2007 Giuliani 58 39% McCain 15 21 Romney 2 5 Gingrich 5 11 Hunter - 1 Brownback - 1 Thompson - - Gilmore 1 1 Hagel 1 1 Huckabee - 1 Pataki 1 3 Tancredo 1 na Paul - na SMONE ELSE(VOL) 2 1 WLDN'T VOTE(VOL) 2 3 DK/NA 10 13
3. If the 2008 election for President were being held today, and the candidates were Hillary Clinton the Democrat and Rudy Giuliani the Republican, for whom would you vote?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Clinton 41% 4% 78% 34% 37% 45% Giuliani 50 91 15 55 55 45 SMONE ELSE(VOL) 1 1 1 1 1 1 WLDN'T VOTE(VOL) 2 1 2 3 2 2 DK/NA 6 3 4 8 5 7
TREND: If the 2008 election for President were being held today and the candidates were Hillary Clinton the Democrat and Rudy Giuliani the Republican, for whom would you vote?
Mar 1 Jan 25 2007 2007 Clinton 41 41 Giuliani 50 48 SMONE ELSE(VOL) 1 1 WLDN'T VOTE(VOL) 2 2 DK/NA 6 8
4. If the 2008 election for President were being held today, and the candidates were Barack Obama the Democrat and Rudy Giuliani the Republican, for whom would you vote?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Obama 39% 6% 70% 35% 37% 42% Giuliani 50 87 21 52 54 46 SMONE ELSE(VOL) 1 - - 1 1 1 WLDN'T VOTE(VOL) 2 - 1 3 2 1 DK/NA 9 6 7 9 6 11
5. If the 2008 election for President were being held today, and the candidates were Hillary Clinton the Democrat and John McCain the Republican, for whom would you vote?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Clinton 45% 9% 81% 37% 39% 50% McCain 45 83 10 50 52 38 SMONE ELSE(VOL) 2 2 2 2 2 2 WLDN'T VOTE(VOL) 2 2 1 3 3 2 DK/NA 6 4 5 7 4 8
TREND: If the 2008 election for President were being held today and the candidates were Hillary Clinton the Democrat and John McCain the Republican, for whom would you vote?
Mar 1 Jan 25 2007 2007 Clinton 45 43 McCain 45 44 SMONE ELSE(VOL) 2 1 WLDN'T VOTE(VOL) 2 2 DK/NA 6 10
6. If the 2008 election for President were being held today, and the candidates were Barack Obama the Democrat and John McCain the Republican, for whom would you vote?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Obama 45% 11% 74% 41% 39% 50% McCain 41 78 13 41 49 33 SMONE ELSE(VOL) 2 2 2 2 2 2 WLDN'T VOTE(VOL) 2 2 2 3 2 2 DK/NA 10 7 9 12 7 14
TREND: If the 2008 election for President were being held today and the candidates were Barack Obama the Democrat and John McCain the Republican, for whom would you vote?
Mar 1 Jan 25 2007 2007 Obama 45 39 McCain 41 42 SMONE ELSE(VOL) 2 2 WLDN'T VOTE(VOL) 2 2 DK/NA 10 15
7. Is your opinion of -- Hillary Clinton favorable, unfavorable or haven't you heard enough about her?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Favorable 47% 14% 79% 42% 42% 53% Unfavorable 43 79 12 48 50 37 Hvn't hrd enough 8 6 8 9 7 8 REFUSED 2 1 2 1 1 2
8. Is your opinion of -- Barack Obama favorable, unfavorable or haven't you heard enough about him?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Favorable 42% 26% 57% 39% 39% 46% Unfavorable 11 22 4 9 14 8 Hvn't hrd enough 45 51 38 50 46 45 REFUSED 2 1 2 1 2 1
9. Is your opinion of -- John McCain favorable, unfavorable or haven't you heard enough about him?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Favorable 48% 67% 32% 51% 56% 40% Unfavorable 24 11 34 24 24 24 Hvn't hrd enough 25 20 29 22 17 32 REFUSED 4 2 4 3 4 4
10. Is your opinion of -- Rudy Giuliani favorable, unfavorable or haven't you heard enough about him?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Favorable 66% 91% 42% 72% 67% 65% Unfavorable 20 2 39 16 21 19 Hvn't hrd enough 12 7 17 10 10 14 REFUSED 2 - 3 1 1 2
TREND:. Is your opinion of -- favorable, unfavorable or haven't you heard enough about him/her? Score = Favorable (Haven't Heard Enough)
Mar 1 Jan 25 2007 2007 Clinton, Hillary 47( 8) 53( 6) Giuliani, Rudy 66(12) 63(12) McCain, John 48(25) 52(21) Obama, Barack 42(45) 41(49)
15. Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling his job as President?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Approve 26% 59% 4% 22% 28% 23% Disapprove 70 35 93 75 67 72 DK/NA 5 7 3 3 5 5
TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling his job as President? * also 26% on 1/25/07, 12/7/06, & 4/27/06
Highest Lowest Approve Approve Mar 1 Jan 25 Dec 7 Sep 20 Jul 17 Oct 18 Mar 1 2007 2007 2006 2006 2006 2001 2007 * Approve 26 26 26 33 34 90 26 Disapprove 70 69 70 64 61 7 70 DK/NA 5 5 4 4 5 3 5
16. Generally speaking, would you say things in this country are heading in the right direction, or are they off on the wrong track?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Right direction 23% 49% 7% 20% 27% 20% Wrong track 71 44 91 73 66 75 DK/NA 6 7 3 6 6 5
TREND: Generally speaking, would you say things in this country are heading in the right direction, or are they off on the wrong track?
Mar 1 Jan 25 2007 2007 Right direction 23 22 Wrong track 71 71 DK/NA 6 7
36. Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling the situation with Iraq?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Approve 22% 50% 3% 20% 25% 18% Disapprove 75 44 96 76 72 77 DK/NA 4 6 1 4 3 4
TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling the situation with Iraq? * also 22% on 12/7/06
Highest Lowest Approve Approve Mar 1 Jan 25 Dec 7 Sep 20 Jun 15 Jan 25 Mar 1 2007 2007 2006 2006 2006 2006 2007 * Approve 22 23 22 30 28 34 22 Disapprove 75 72 75 66 68 62 75 DK/NA 4 5 3 4 3 4 4
37. Do you think going to war with Iraq was the right thing for the United States to do or the wrong thing?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Right thing 32% 65% 8% 33% 38% 27% Wrong thing 64 31 90 65 61 68 DK/NA 3 4 2 2 1 5
TREND: Do you think going to war with Iraq was the right thing for the United States to do or the wrong thing?
Mar 1 Jan 25 Dec 7 Sep 20 Jun 15 Apr 27 Mar 20 2007 2007 2006 2006 2006 2006 2006 Right thing 32 30 32 36 33 31 33 Wrong thing 64 63 64 59 62 63 62 DK/NA 3 7 4 5 5 6 6
38. Do you support or oppose Bush's plan to send approximately 22,000 additional U.S. military forces to Iraq?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Support 28% 58% 8% 27% 36% 21% Oppose 69 39 90 71 62 76 DK/NA 3 3 2 3 2 4
TREND: Do you support or oppose Bush's proposal to send approximately 22,000 additional U.S. military forces to Iraq?
Mar 1 Jan 25 2007 2007 Support 28 26 Oppose 69 69 DK/NA 3 5