WASHINGTON (CNN) - A new Quinnipiac poll out of Florida Thursday shows Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani each hold a substantial lead over their competitors in the Sunshine State.
Clinton registers 43 percent in the new poll of registered Florida Democrats. Sen. Barack Obama comes in second with 18 percent, followed by former Sen. John Edwards at 12 percent. The sample included 416 Democrats and carries a margin of error of plus or minus 4.8 percent.
Meanwhile on the Republican side, Giuliani stands at 30 percent, followed by Sen. John McCain and former Sen. Fred Thompson, both at 14 percent. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is at 12 percent and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee registers 8 percent. The sample included 394 Republicans and caries a margin of error of plus or minus 4.9 percent.
The poll also finds a very closely-fought race in the Sunshine State should Clinton and Giuliani each be their party's presidential nominee. Giuliani edges out Clinton in the poll, 46 percent to 43 percent.
Florida officially moved up its primary to Jan. 29, facing potential sanctions from both parties for doing so.
- CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
congratulations Mayor Giuliani
Hillary is to the USA as gorbachev was to the USSR- Wake up fools!
As for the Rudy vs. Hillary matchup: Quoting Rudy when the poll two weeks ago was the same but in Hillary's favor, "it's still within the margin of error so it's meaningless." Further, how many are undecided? Also, the change might be the result of Republicans actively campaigning in Florida...remember, the Dems agreed not to do so for the primary because of Florida's violation of DNC rules with regard to primary times which of course, was precipitated by the republican controlled state gov't changing the state's primary date to one that knew would violate DNC rules and hence bring on this situation. Clearly a pure example of how republicans have to change the rules in order to win.
Could this possibly have anything to do with the fact that honorable democratic candidates are abiding by the DNC agreement which prohibits them from campaigning in Florida and Michigan?
Keep going Hillary... continue to stay with telling us how you will lead the country on the various issues and stay away from the attack modes of the candidates behind you....that is what we as caring Americans want....not all the other crap that the other people continue to throw out...
Keep it up and we will see you in the White House in 15 months.
Clearly, in a general election, Giuliani would defeat Clinton. Fully 50% of the voting population already has said they would not vote for Clinton under any circumstance. Guiliani just needs to pick up a few additional undecideds.
If I were the Guiliani team I would be worried....hig voter turn out could flip those numbers since it is in the margin of error and Bill Clinton won the state of florida before.
How come people say polls are meaningless when they suggest Clinton is beating Obama, but any poll that suggests Clinton as unfavorable is dead on accurate?
How in the world does anyone know if fifty percent of America's voting public won't vote for Senator Clinton. Please people stop drinking Kool-Aid.
They didn't poll me. I live in FL and I'm NOT voting for him. In fact, I'll have 10 more voters NOT vote for him. If we can all do this, he will get negative votes.
with the florida vote you can't tell who really is ahead, even after the votes are counted. that's if all the votes are counted. just ask al gore. when al ran, all the black vote went to bush.......clarence thomas.