Several New Polls Show Obama Pulling Ahead of Clinton in NH

Posted by Joshua Holland, AlterNet at 8:09 PM on January 6, 2008.

UPDATE: A bunch of new NH polls in, via Real Clear Politics ...

Strategic Vision:
Obama 38, Clinton 29, Edwards 19, Richardson 7

Franklin Pierce:
Obama 34, Clinton 31, Edwards 20, Richardson 6

USA Today/Gallup:
Obama 41, Clinton 28, Edwards 19, Richardson 6

CNN/WMUR (PDF):
Obama 39, Clinton 29, Edwards 16, Richardson 7

Note that the last CNN/WMUR poll discussed below showed Clinton and Obama in a virtual tie.

Also worth noting is RCP's average of all the latest polls:
Obama 37.0, Clinton 29.8, Edwards 18.6, Richardson 5.8

***

Just a little poll watching on a Sunday.

As Steve Benen noted, the first poll out after Iowa, a small sample-poll by Rasmussen, had Obama up by 37-27 over Clinton, with Edwards at 19%.

CNN/WMUR released a poll today yesterday with a bigger sample, and the results show a tighter race:

Sens. Hillary Clinton of New York and Barack Obama of Illinois are tied, with each grabbing the support of 33 percent of likely Democratic primary voters in the Granite State, according to a new CNN/WMUR New Hampshire presidential primary poll conducted by the University of New Hampshire.

Former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina is in third place with 20 percent, according to the poll, which was released Saturday afternoon, three days before the primary.

"Both Obama and Edwards appear to have benefited from the Iowa caucuses. Each picked up three points in New Hampshire. Clinton lost one point, since our last poll taken before the caucuses," said CNN senior political analyst Bill Schneider.

On the Republican side, John McCain has emerged the leader of the GOP pack in New Hampshire.

Thirty-three percent of likely GOP Granite State primary voters support the senator from Arizona, with former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney six points back at 27 percent.

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani's in third place at 14 percent, with former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee in fourth place at 11 percent.

Rep. Ron Paul of Texas follows with 9 percent, and Rep. Duncan Hunter of California and former Sen. Fred Thompson of Tennessee are tied at 1 percent.

Important caveat: polls are a snapshot in time, and this one was conducted before Saturday's debates.

Tagged as: clinton, obama, election08, mccain, edwards, giuliani, romney, huckabee, paul, new hampshire

Joshua Holland is an editor and senior writer at AlterNet.