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From the Quad-City Times
http://www.qctimes.net/articles/2005/08/17/news/local/doc4302d1adb71af117142698.txt
http://www.qctimes.net/articles/2005/08/17/news/local/doc4302d1adb71af117142698.txt
Poll says Iowans like Rice in '08
Wednesday, August 17, 2005, 8:02 p.m.
By Todd Dorman
DES MOINES — U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is a surprising top choice for president among Iowa Republicans, according to a poll to be released today — more than two years before the state's first-in-the-nation caucuses.
Among 400 Republicans who said they are likely to attend the 2008 caucuses, Rice received the backing of 30.3 percent. U.S. Sen. John McCain of Arizona was second in the survey with 16 percent, and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani received support from 15.3 percent. Roughly 20 percent were undecided.
Aside from the very early horse race, the poll also found a majority of Republicans surveyed oppose federally funded research on embryonic stem cells.
The poll, conducted by Davenport-based political consulting firm Victory Enterprises, has a margin of error of plus or minus 5 percent. Voters were surveyed Aug. 8-10.
Steve Grubbs, a former Republican Party of Iowa chairman who heads Victory Enterprises, said he was surprised by Rice's strong showing in the poll.
"It's amazing for me to see someone who was relatively unknown three or four years ago topping the popularity list for Republicans,'' Grubbs said. "It's not your grandparents' GOP anymore.''
Rice likely benefits from high name recognition, Grubbs said. The poll found that 94.5 percent of those surveyed have heard of Rice, and 79 percent have a favorable opinion of her.
McCain, Giuliani and former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich also scored over 90 percent in the name recognition department. But 33 percent of those surveyed had an unfavorable view of McCain, who skipped Iowa's caucuses in 2000.
"He's been a maverick in the party,'' Grubbs said of McCain. "It's created a lot of fans and a lot of people who aren't fans.''
Gingrich received an unfavorable rating from 24 percent. Giuliani was viewed favorably by 66 percent.
Rice so far has deflected questions about her ambitions, although the Internet is jammed with "draft Rice'' Web sites. The poll found that with Rice's name off the candidate list, McCain and Giuliani led the survey with 21.7 percent each.
On issues, the poll showed that 54 percent of Republicans surveyed believe it's a "bad idea'' for the federal government to fund medical research using embryonic stem cells. Another 32 percent supported funding and 13 percent were undecided.
Meanwhile, one political observer said the poll shows that women candidates are more accepted these days.
"She's a new face and a different face," said Dianne Bystrom, director of the Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics at Iowa State University. "The good news is there's increasing acceptance for women candidates."
Bystrom said early polls show strong support among Republicans for Rice and among Democrats for U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York. But she said it's far too early to predict whether a historic presdiential matchup lies ahead.
"We'll see if they come to Iowa, then we'll know they're serious," Bystrom said.
Among the other poll findings were:
n 78 percent of Republicans surveyed said the federal government isn't doing enough to address illegal immigration.
n 61 percent of respondents said they vote for candidates who are "pro-life'' compared with 11.2 percent who vote "pro-choice'' and 25 percent who said the abortion issue didn't matter much to them.
n 58 percent said they vote for candidates who support the National Rifle Association and gun rights.
n 41 percent said stopping terrorism should be the No. 1 priority of the president and Congress, followed by reducing the size of government at 13.5 percent and improving the moral climate of the country at 12.3 percent. Improving schools and creating jobs scored 9 percent and 5.7 percent.
Todd Dorman can be contacted at (515) 243-0138 or at [email protected].
Poll questions
Here are two questions from the Victory Enterprises survey. The list of candidates' names was rotated.
n And if you were voting today in the Iowa caucuses for the Republican nomination for president, who would you vote for if the following candidates were running?
Bill Frist 8.0 percent
George Pataki 2.8 percent
Rudy Giuliani 21.7 percent
John McCain 21.7 percent
George Allen 1.5 percent
Mitt Romney 2.2 percent
Newt Gingrich 13.8 percent
Undecided 28.3 percent
n Now I will read you a list of potential candidates for president that is slightly different. Please tell me who you would vote for if the following people were running.
Condoleezza Rice 30.3 percent
Bill Frist 3.7 percent
George Pataki 2.0 percent
Rudy Guiliani 15.3 percent
John McCain 16.0 percent
George Allen 0.7 percent
Mitt Romney 0.5 percent
Newt Gingrich 7.5 percent
Sam Brownback 1.0 percent
Haley Barbour 0.0 percent
Chuck Hagel 2.5 percent
Undecided 20.5 percent
)
