WASHINGTON -- "Republicans antsy for a conservative standard-bearer in the presidential race have begun to rally behind Fred Thompson, propelling the former Tennessee senator to within hailing distance of the lead for the party's nomination, a new Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg Poll has found.
Former New York Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani holds first place in the survey, with support from 27% of the Republicans and independents who said they planned to vote in the party's 2008 primaries.
But Thompson, an actor who plays a prosecutor on NBC's "Law and Order," polled 21%. Indications are he will join the race within the next month.
The two other major GOP contenders, Sen. John McCain of Arizona and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, have fallen well short of the leaders and are in a battle for third place. McCain was backed by 12% of those polled, Romney by 10%. The rest of the crowded field is mired in single digits.
Among the Democratic candidates, the race remains little changed from a Times/Bloomberg poll in April.
Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York has maintained a solid lead at 33%, followed by Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, with 22%. Running third, with 15%, is former Vice President Al Gore, who continues to say he has no plans to seek the office he barely lost in 2000. Fourth is former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, at 8%.
Despite Clinton's lead, Obama is the strongest Democrat in hypothetical matchups with Republicans in the general election, running even with or well ahead of the GOP's top contenders.
Clinton, in a showing that could spark concern among some Democrats, does not fare as well. For instance, against Giuliani, her strongest GOP rival, the poll found she would lose by 10 percentage points.
Overall, the survey underscored the unsettled nature of the Republican contest, with voters splitting roughly along ideological lines.
Giuliani, whose views on abortion, gay rights and guns are to the left of many in his party, has built a wide base among moderates and independents, while Thompson has drawn conservatives, particularly among the religious right.
That dynamic, however, could quickly change. Giuliani for months has faced a swarm of media scrutiny of his weak spots yet has kept his lead in national polls intact, if somewhat diminished.
Thompson, by contrast, is just starting to introduce himself. He has never endured the rigors of a high-profile campaign and has not parried with rivals in debates, as Giuliani and nine other Republicans have three times this spring.
Thompson "has this allure, but he hasn't been tested yet," said Times Poll director Susan Pinkus, who conducted the survey. "He has gotten a free ride so far."
Well this ticks me off. If Fred can't out-poll Julie then how's he supposed to clean Rodham's clock. And don't give me that "he hasn't even announced yet". We all know he's in, and with the free ride the Jurassic Press has been giving him his numbers can only go down when they trot out the big guns to blow him out of the water with.
Nah, I'm afraid Fred is fried. Annie whips Rodham decisively, everyone but Rush Limbaugh knows THAT, and in a head-to-head debate he makes Mr. Hussein out to be the stuttering no-nothing he truly is. Amazes me how folks mistake good diction for having something to say, but such is the case with government schooled adults. Where was I...
Okay. Fred never makes up anywhere near the ground or money needed to make it for the long haul, and comes aboard as Julie's VP. Then while his boss is busily pwning Ankles, he gets to teach Hussein all about debating.
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