2008 or 2016 Match-Up: Hillary Clinton 51 Per Cent Vs. Sarah Palin 39 Per Cent

If America elects a woman president soon, right now her name appears to be Hillary Clinton.

In a hypothetical match-up between the two most formidable female candidates in their respective parties, Clinton defeats former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin 51% to 39%, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of likely U.S. voters. Seven percent (7%) prefer some other candidate.

Clinton performs better against Palin than President Obama who in a hypothetical 2012 match-up beats last year’s GOP vice presidential nominee by just six points, 48% to 42%.

Women overwhelmingly favor Clinton over Palin, 59% to 32%. Men favor the GOP ex-governor by eight points, 48% to 40%.

Palin gets 71% of the Republican vote, while Clinton captures 81% of Democrats. Voters not affiliated with either party break down almost evenly between the two candidates, giving Clinton a slight 44% to 41% edge.

Some interesting results in this poll.

• Obama is only beating Sarah Palin by 6 points
• Men prefer Sarah Palin to Hillary Clinton
• Independent voters edge toward Hillary by only 3 points

Sarah Palin has her work cut out for herself but it is a shock that she only trails the incumbent President by 6 points.