Poll: Huckabee Soars Into GOP's Top Tier

Giuliani Clinging To Lead Among Republicans Nationally; Gap Between Obama, Clinton Narrows

(CBS)  Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee's meteoric rise in the polls is not, it turns out, an Iowa-only phenomenon. According to a new CBS News/New York Times poll, the former Arkansas governor is running neck-and-neck with former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani in the race for the support of GOP primary voters nationwide, and all the momentum is on Huckabee's side.

Huckabee was supported by 21 percent in the poll, up from a mere 4 percent in October, thanks largely to a swell in support from Christian conservatives. He trails Giuliani by only 1 percentage point - a statistically insignificant margin. While Huckabee's support has more than quintupled in the past two months, Giuliani has seen his fall by 7 percent.

While Huckabee's rise in Iowa - he now leads the field there, according to some polls - corresponds to increased support nationally, the same cannot be said of the Democratic race. Polls in the Hawkeye State have shown Barack Obama catching up to, and in some cases overtaking, party front-runner Hillary Clinton.

But the CBS News/New York Times poll of Democratic primary voters nationally found the race only somewhat closer than before, with Clinton leading Obama, 44 percent to 27 percent. That margin represents a slight narrowing since October, when Clinton held a 28-percent edge over Obama, but it also nearly mirrors the advantage she held in September.

The shifts in the presidential race come as Americans are increasingly pessimistic about the economy and the country's overall direction - not since the beginnings of the early-90s recession have so few Americans thought the economy was on an upward track. They also continue to strongly disapprove of both President Bush and the Democrat-led Congress, though, in a good sign for Democrats running in 2008, give the party an edge over the GOP on questions concerning Iraq and the economy.

One bit of good news for Republicans: Americans are somewhat more optimistic about the war in Iraq, with nearly 40 percent now saying the war is going well - only 22 percent said so in June.

The Republicans

While Giuliani and Huckabee led among GOP primary voters, Mitt Romney - seen as Huckabee's top rival for the support of Christian conservative voters - also saw his support increase slightly, from 12 percent in October to 16 percent now. Both John McCain and Fred Thompson have seen their support crumble. Thompson has seen the most dramatic drop, falling from 21 percent in October - good enough for second place - to 7 percent now, tying him with McCain for fourth place.

However, Republican primary voters, as a group, remain fluid, suggesting there is still room for movement in the GOP field. Only 23 percent said they had made up their mind in the race, while 76 percent said it was too early to settle on one candidate.

The rise in Huckabee's support, not surprisingly, comes from the strong gains he has made among the Republican Party's influential contingent of Christian conservatives. The ordained Baptist minister commands the support of 34 percent of white evangelicals, eclipsing his nearest rival, Giuliani, by 19 percent. He has also made impressive gains among those who identify as conservative or as weekly church-goers.

His gains come even as Republicans remain skeptical about his ability to win in the general election, indicating that "electability" is not a priority in the race for the nomination. Only 13 percent thought Huckabee was the most electable, compared to 43 percent who said so about Giuliani and 18 percent who said Romney would be the party's best candidate in November 2008.

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Read The Complete CBS News/NY Times Poll On The Republican Race
The Democratic Race
The Nation: The Economy, Government Weakens While Iraq Improves
From Horserace: Behind The Numbers

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What is helping Huckabee is his ability to make a good impression. Among those who had an opinion of him, those with a favorable view outweighed those with an unfavorable view by 3-to-1. While Huckabee has had some success in boosting his visibility, 60 percent still said they were undecided on Huckabee or didn't know enough about him to form an opinion, indicating he still has plenty of room for growth.

While Romney's support showed only modest gains in the poll compared to October, it appears he has been successful in persuading voters they could support a Mormon candidate for president - 52 percent of GOP primary voters said most people they knew would vote for a Mormon, up from 36 percent in June.

Interestingly, large numbers of GOP voters (45 percent) and all voters (55 percent) still don't know Romney is Mormon. This comes despite Romney's delivery of a well-publicized speech on faith and politics on Dec. 6, toward the beginning of the polling period.

The Democrats

The dramatic shifts seen in the Republican race were not reflected among Democrats. Clinton led the field with 44 percent support, trailed by Obama at 27 percent. John Edwards, who is also competitive in Iowa, was a distant third place nationally at 11 percent. All other candidates' support was in the single digits.

While these numbers show a slight decrease in Clinton's support and a modest uptick in Obama's, they indicate the race has only returned to where it was in the late summer.

[nlitwhiler]

So why do they call him Mitt? His name is Willard.

[nlitwhiler]

Boycott you say?! Ha! Did that a year ago. When I ditched TV altogether. Conservative, I am. I don''t need my daughter watching that stupid machine. TV is for fools and those foolish enough to believe the "news" on it. It is 100 percent entertainment. All the news from that thing can be found on the internet within 20 minutes. And for 1 fifth the cost. With much less bias. Or, bias that seems to be based upon common sense. I only listen to advertisements that really count, from people I know.

[shiddysmurf1]

It''s a good thing corperate media can''t control the internet! MORE RON PAUL PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!

RON PAUL! RON PAUL!! RON PAUL!!!

[abrooks123j]

Ron Paul makes all the other candidates look petty.
Seeing any of them on either side of the party, I have no doubt that each one is in the race simply for self-aggrandizement -- just so they can be called President.

Ron Paul is doing this for the country...for the people of the country -- that''s the difference.

If you''re tired of business as usual and you really want to take back this country for you instead of the narrow self-interests of the neocons and media, then check out Ron Paul.

Headlines like the one above ("Huckabee Soars Into GOP''s Top Tier") only serve to attempt to make facts out of thin air.

It''s time to take back this country from those who have usurped it for their own narrow ends, fighting endless wars, killing, and putting our soldiers in harms way for interests not of the American people.

Don''t listen to the lies/half-truths of the media. Ron Paul can really win. People in this country are beginning to wake up from their slumber to find that their country has been commandeered...Now watch what we will do ;)

[tennvoter]

What a shame ! And shame on me for taking 50 some odd years to wake up and see just how much the media manipulates the American public ! Nothing has proven that more than watching how every media source in America has effectivly blocked out Ron Paul. I guess I should thank them all for at least making it so easy to see the obvious manipulation, it was like a slap in the face to me. It actually made me sit up and start paying attention and now, for the first time in my life, 51 years, I am going to go out and vote. There is finally someone I believe in enough to make the effort. Someone I feel will give my kids and grandkids a chance at a decent future. If anyone reading this has not read up on Ron Paul , please do your future generation a favor and just take the time to go check him out. The media doesn''t want you to know about him. The current Government doesn''t want you to know about him. Don''t let them make your decisions for you by manipulation. It''s time to wake up and pay attention. Don''t take my word, or anyone else''s, go check him out for yourself. Then vote.

[workplz]

So according to wolf blitzer today Ron Paul is polling at 2%. So the first quarter he raised $639,000 and polled at 2% the 2nd quarter he raised 2.4 mill and polled at 2% the 3rd quarter he raised 5 mill and polled at 2% and this quarter he is looking at 15 mill + and polling at 2%. And people wonder why a lot on Ron Paul supporters beleive in conspiracys

[joeyonassis]

Come on America!! Wake up!! Stop the censorship! Ron Paul is a TRUE AMERICAN! RON PAUL ''08!!

[joeyonassis]

Come on America!! Wake up!! Stop the censorship! Ron Paul is a TRUE AMERICAN! RON PAUL ''08!!

[dictator8]

Huckabee soars??? What about Ron Paul who is now at 92% in this poll?

I don''t understand you, CBS. Why are you trying to do your damnedest to silence Dr. Paul?

Shame on you! I will boycott you and your advertisers!

[luapnor8002]

Isn''t that funny?... Just like Ron Paul disappeared completely from the picture... Hmm. I wonder.......

[js4853]

Why must the media try to sweep Ron Paul under the rug. He is THE front runners so far for the republicans (if that''s what the other candidates claim they are), yet Dr. Paul gets no mention. Ron Paul for president!!

[xtrabiggg]

Garbage in, garbage out... Don''t even offer Ron Paul as a choice in the poll and he doesn''t show up! Exclude him form you ''Candidate Profiles'' while profiling candidates lower in the skewed polls! COuld you be any more biased, unfair and beholden to big money? Edward R. Murrow is spinning in his grve! FOr Shame, CBS News!

[dcuptoejuice]

Don''t forget CBS Evening News with Katie Couric excludes Ron Paul every single night with their spoon feeding of their 10 candidates. Thanks for the censorship.

[dcuptoejuice]

CBS, this article couldn''t have any more spin. Pitiful reporting. A poll on whether or not people know Mitt is Mormon! Who cares! Huckabee is the one using religion to get into office, Mitt doesn''t wear his faith on his sleeve and we shouldn''t expect him to.
Paul ''08

[maulotaur]

I only intended to post this once, but the button kept reappearing saying that it was disabled so I thought it did not get posted. Anyway, Ron Paul for President 2008. Protest the fake media dysinformation.

[maulotaur]

Ron Paul for President 2008. Protest the fake media dysinformation.

[maulotaur]

Ron Paul for President 2008. Protest the fake media dysinformation.

[maulotaur]

Ron Paul for President 2008. Protest the fake media dysinformation.

[maulotaur]

Ron Paul for President 2008. Protest the fake media dysinformation.

[maulotaur]

Ron Paul for President 2008. Protest the fake media dysinformation.