Rudy Giuliani Watch: New Jersey Quinnipac Poll Has Rudy Beating Hillary

Angus Reid Global Monitor: Giuliani Would Defeat Hillary in New Jersey

Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani is the favourite Republican United States presidential contender for voters in the Garden State, according to a poll by the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. 48 per cent of respondents in New Jersey would vote for Giuliani in a head-to-head contest against Democratic New York senator Hillary Rodham Clinton.

In other match-ups, Rodham Clinton holds a one-point edge over Arizona senator John McCain, and a 24-point advantage over former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney. McCain leads former North Carolina senator John Edwards by six points, and Illinois senator Barack Obama by three points.

In 2004, Democratic nominee John Kerry carried New Jerseyâ€™s 15 electoral votes, with 53 per cent of the vote. No Republican has won the Garden State since George H. Bush in 1988.

The Mayor continues his lead in head to head match-ups against Hillary Clinton. He fares better than any other GOP candidate against the presumed Democrat nominee.

Polling Data

If the 2008 election for President were being held today, and the candidates were (the Democrat) and (the Republican), for whom would you vote?

Rudy Giuliani (R) 48% – 41% Hillary Rodham Clinton (R)
John McCain (R) 43% – 44% Hillary Rodham Clinton (R)
Mitt Romney (R) 29% – 53% Hillary Rodham Clinton (R)
John McCain (R) 45% – 39% John Edwards (R)
John McCain (R) 42% – 39% Barack Obama (R)

Source: Quinnipiac University Polling Institute
Methodology: Telephone interviews to 1,310 registered Ohio voters, conducted from Jan. 16 to Jan. 22, 2006. Margin of error is 2.7 per cent.

In New Jersey, Team Giuliani has captured dozens of GOP mayors and lawmakers.

Some 270 of New Jersey’s best-known Republicans declared their allegiance yesterday to former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani in his presidential bid.

The list distributed by Giuliani’s exploratory committee includes 21 state lawmakers and 43 mayors. Also on board: former congressman Bob Franks, former party co-chairman and investment banker Candace Straight, and former New York Mets and Yankees southpaw Al Leiter.

State Sen. Tom Kean Jr. will serve as honorary state chairman. Kean said Giuliani had been “tremendously” helpful in his recent U.S. Senate race. Just as important, Kean said, “during uncertain times, Rudy Giuliani has proven to be a unifying force who leads with decisive action.”

Giuliani appears to be the GOP front-runner in New Jersey. A recent Quinnipiac Poll showed not only was he the early party favorite — 39 percent of Republicans voters named him as their top choice — but he was the favorite in a head-to-head race with the Democratic front-runner, New York Sen. Hillary Clinton, 48 percent to 41 percent.

Stay tuned for a post on the national Gallup Poll that is Just out…….