[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i.l.cnn.net/cnn/2008/images/01/12/art.michpoll.gi.jpg caption="Romney, McCain, and Huckabee are in a tight race in Michigan. "]
WASHINGTON (CNN) - Republicans John McCain, Mitt Romney, and Mike Huckabee are in a three-way battle for the top spot in Michigan, two new polls out Saturday suggest.
According to a just released Detroit News poll, McCain holds a statistically insignificant 1 point lead over Mitt Romney there, 27 percent to 26 percent. Huckabee is close behind with 19 percent.
Meanwhile, a new American Research Group poll shows McCain with a 7 point lead over Romney, 34 percent to 27 percent. Huckabee stands at 15 percent in that poll.
Both polls carry a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.
- CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i.l.cnn.net/cnn/2008/images/01/12/art.bush.ap.jpg caption=" A new CNN poll shows President Bush's approval rating stands at 32 percent."] WASHINGTON (CNN) - Americans' opinion on the Iraq war and of President Bush has remained stable - and fairly negative - over the past few weeks, a new CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll out Saturday evening suggests.
Only 33 percent of Americans favor the war in Iraq, according to a just released poll. In a similar poll taken in December, that number stood at 31 percent.
The poll also suggests only 32 percent of Americans approve of how Bush is handling his job as president. That number is the same as it was last month.
The poll, conducted on January 9-10, interviewed 1,033 Americans and carries a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
McCain won the backing of South Carolina's largest newspaper Saturday. (Photo Credit: AP)
WASHINGTON (CNN) - John McCain won the endorsement of South Carolina's largest newspaper Saturday, a major boost to the Arizona senator one week before this southern state’s Republican presidential primary.
In an editorial posted on The State's Web site, McCain is praised for "integrity and independence," and his ability to reach across partisan divides.
"He is a slave to no ideology or faction. Not only will he work with anyone who wants to do the right thing anytime, he is usually the driving force at the head of coalitions to get the job done — from the Gang of 14 that broke Senate gridlock and paved the way for the confirmation of conservative judges to his principled leadership on campaign finance reform," the editorial board wrote.
The paper's editorial board also lauded McCain for his political courage, writing he "is almost unique in his determination to do what is right, whatever the cost."
Mike Huckabee was also considered, according to the editorial, and hailed as an "exciting newcomer who shows a wonderful ability to connect with voters’ concerns." But the editorial board ultimately concluded the former Arkansas governor's "utter lack of knowledge of foreign affairs is unsettling."
As for the other GOP candidates, the editorial board discounted Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani for pulling much of their resources from the state, dismissed Ron Paul as a serious contender for the Republican nomination, and said Fred Thompson - who is betting his entire presidential bid on a win there - "seems to be running in this first-in-the-South primary just to say he did."
The paper backed then-Texas Gov. George Bush over McCain in 2000.
"At long last, eight years later than we should have, we are endorsing John McCain of Arizona," Brad Warthen, the State's editorial page director and a longtime supporter of McCain wrote on his blog Saturday. "This makes me a lot happier than I was this time in 2000. This time, we've done the right thing."
- CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
WASHINGTON (CNN) - The Republican presidential field will face a tough general election fight from the Democrats, according to a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll released Saturday.
According to the survey, either of the Democratic frontrunners, Sens. Hillary Clinton of New York or Barack Obama of Illinois, hold mostly double-digit – and statistically identical - advantages over Republican presidential candidates Mitt Romney, Rudy Giuliani and Mike Huckabee, drawing more than 50 percent support in each hypothetical matchup.
The Republican candidate who gives Clinton and Obama the closest race in the new poll is Arizona Sen. John McCain, who is essentially tied with both: he draws the support of 48 percent of those surveyed to both Clinton's 50 percent and Obama's 49 percent.
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i.l.cnn.net/cnn/2008/images/01/12/art.huck1.ap.jpg caption=" Huckabee campaigned in Michigan Saturday."]GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan (CNN) - Mike Huckabee urged more than 100 pastors in Western Michigan to "take a stand" and organize evangelicals to vote in next week's Republican primary here.
The ordained Baptist minister told the pastors Saturday to "mobilize in every way possible every single friend you know" in advance of next Tuesday's vote.
"I am not going to ask for you to endorse from the pulpit," he said at a campaign breakfast. But he implored the faith leaders to work their personal mailing lists and phone directories of "like-minded folks" in their spare time.
Roughly one in three Republican primary voters in Michigan is a self-identified evangelical.
Huckabee, as he often does, declared that he will not run from his faith if he is elected president.
"This country needs to regain its soul," he said. "For a long time, those of us are people of faith were asked to support candidates who would come and talk to us. But rarely has there been one who has come from us."
Huckabee, who spent a good portion of his remarks criticizing abortion and same-sex marriage, also repeated his pledge he would never attempt to impose his own religious beliefs on the country if elected president.
- CNN Political Producer Peter Hamby
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