Saturday, November 17, 2007

Iowa: Romney 29%, Huckabee 16%, Giuliani 15%

Mitt Romney has extended his lead in the Iowa Republican Presidential Caucus for 2008 and three candidates are virtually tied for second place. The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of the race shows Romney with support from 29% of Likely Caucus Participants. Trailing the frontrunner by thirteen percentage points is Mike Huckabee who enjoys support from 16%. In a virtual tie for second with Huckabee are Rudy Giuliani at 15% and Fred Thompson at 14%. Further back are John McCain (6%), Ron Paul (4%), Tom Tancredo (4%), and Duncan Hunter (2%). Nine percent (9%) are undecided.Romney's thirteen point advantage is double his six-point lead from a month ago. Support for Romney has increased four-points since the prior survey while Thompson's support has fallen four points. Mike Huckabee is down two from the earlier survey suggesting his bounce may have reached at least a temporary plateau. Rudy Giuliani , the leader in national polls, picked up three percentage points over the past month. Romney also enjoys a strong lead in New Hampshire, site of the first-in-the-nation Presidential Primary.