(CNN)— A new poll finds a majority of Republicans and Democrats feel Sen. Barack Obama would be a tougher candidate against the presumptive Republican nominee John McCain in a potential fall match-up.
In a Gallup poll released Monday, 59 percent of Democratic voters believe Obama has the best chance at beating John McCain. Thirty percent said Clinton was more likely to win a matchup with the Arizona senator.
Republicans surveyed say Clinton would be the easiest to beat: 64 percent said Clinton would make a weaker fall opponent for McCain, while just 22 percent said Obama.
The survey of 1,005 adults conducted March 24-27 has a sampling error of 4 percent.
The discussion of which Democrat stands the strongest against John McCain has been an ongoing debate since the Republican race narrowed leaving the Arizona Senator as the Republican nominee in waiting.
A Gallup poll released last week suggested a majority of Democrats would cast a vote for John McCain this fall if the candidate they support does not win the Democratic nomination. This is particularly true of Clinton’s supporters, one third of whom said they will vote for McCain if Obama is the Democratic nominee.
–CNN’s Emily Sherman
From CNN Politics
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If Hillary gets the nomination the republicans are gonna whip the dems like they stole something from them....
E-E-E-E-vil Woman.
AND WHY???? 'CAUSE HE IS A MAN?????
Take a look at his so call accomplishments, they are not even close to Hillary's
The country needs a BIG CHANGE, not "another kid on trainning" we need a woman in the WH to show the country that woman can do it too.
Thank you CNN for the lession on why we should not try to use a national poll to predict the result of state-by-state presidential races.
I agree totally with Bill Brown. The states that Obama won in the primary are typical red states for the most part. When you can win a primary with a couple of thousand votes, you are in trouble in November. Obama's liberalism will bite him in the butt!
Any Democrat who will vote for McCain, or any other Republican frankly, is not a thinking Democrat. If you're behind only the person and won't vote for the party's nominee if he/she isn't your first choice, you're not a Democrat. Is this difficult to understand?
Our country needs someone who is experienced to take care of the mess that we are in. If Obama gets the nomination, I will definitely vote for McCain. Obama is as inexperience as George Bush. Our country can’t afford another copy cat of George Bush.
Nothing will unite the Republicans faster than nomination Hillary Clinton.
oh sure he would be tougher................the rep. are licking their chops as we wait
Oh bunk. There is more Obama propaganda floating around the air, then pollutants and Obama just eats it up. Yuck. Clinton will take on McCain and anyone else – even Obama
I'm a Obama supporter and he has the nomination wrapped up. I think people will come to their senses and not vote for another 4 years of bushology regardless of who the nominee.
hmmmmmm...interesting that gallup reports those numbers when rasmussen reports that the race for the Dem Nom is at 46/43....hmmmmmmmm
why are all these polls cnn shows so biased
My gut is telling me not to trust the polls. The republicans are going after the fresh meat. Think about it, we have heard all the trash on the Clintons. I just hope Obama doesn't have hidden trash in his can.
The Republicans will go after all the anti-American talk that comes from Obama's wife and friends. We don't know enough about Obama.
I do not believe that Obama can win over McCain. McCain will win easily. But we shall see.
2008!!!! The Year Obama, Got stuck in the Gate...
Of course Obama would be tougher on the Republicans; He doesn't 'tear up" as easily as Hillary. And he has proven he can "take the heat" when confronted with an issue.
Who are these people that get polled? Do these people seriously think that the Republicans will not pull out all the stops to crush Obama.
I would not want Hillary to be a vice-JANITOR at the White House, not to mention President of VP. She sucks at leadership SO badly, she should go back and take Political Science 101, and even that won't help.
Bill, Right on!
Hillary has the strength and power to win and bounce McCain for a loop.
Can't wait for the knock out.
No No No Obama. He talks the talk but can't walk the walk only out
People in their right mind support Obama.
Obama would surely be the strongest Dem against McCain.
I am sad that major news organizations use polls like this one (1005 people!) as a reliable sampling of the nation at large. Please.
But, since I'm here – Obama '08!
To Scott C, no one could be more wrong. The anti Hillary people are mean and nasty with comments CNN should disallow. We need to forget about polls at this point since each one has been inaccurate.
McCain is toooooo old to be a president for the 21st century.