Obama Ahead In N.H. And S.C. Polls, McCain Ahead In N.H.
In keeping with the flood of polls earlier today, the CNN/WMUR poll has Barack Obama ahead of Hillary Clinton 39 percent to 30 percent. The pair were tied in Saturday’s poll. John Edwards dropped from 20 percent to 16 percent. Among Republicans, John McCain leads Mitt Romney 31 percent to 26 percent, slightly more than the poll’s 4 point margin of error. Mike Huckabee showed some post-Iowa movement, edging ahead of Rudy Giuliani for third place, 13 percent to 10 percent. Ron Paul also had 10 percent and Fred Thompson was barely to be found at 1 percent. As in the other polls, the perception of electability that Iowa gave Obama has been a major factor in his gains. “The Iowa caucus results have convinced growing numbers of Granite State voters that Obama can really go all the way,” CNN Polling Director Keating Holland said.
An American Research Group poll released late Monday has Obama ahead of Clinton 40 percent to 31 percent and McCain ahead of Romney 31 percent to 24 percent with a 4 percent margin of error.
The numbers are particularly bad news for Clinton because it follows a Gallup poll that shows she has lost her national lead and two polls that show Obama opening big leads in another key early primary state, South Carolina.
SurveyUSA says Obama leads Clinton 50 percent to 30 percent in South Carolina with Edwards at 17 percent. Rasmussen Reports has Obama ahead of Clinton 42 percent to 30 percent in the state with Edwards at 14 percent.
In the GOP race in South Carolina, Huckabee leads Romney 36 percent to 19 percent, with McCain at 17 percent, Thompson at 11 percent, Giuliani at 9 percent and Paul at 5 percent, according to SurveyUSA. The Rasmussen poll also shows Huckabee way ahead, but with McCain as the number two challenger. Huckabee polls at 28 percent, McCain at 21 percent, and Romney at 15 percent with Giuliani and Paul bringing up the rear at 10 percent and 4 percent respectively.