WASHINGTON, 10 June 2003 — Here’s grim news for American Democrats: A new poll released yesterday says that three-in-four Democratic primary voters in New Hampshire think President George Bush will be re-elected in 2004.
As for the most popular Democratic presidential candidate, the Zogby poll said Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry is currently leading, according to a New Hampshire poll for the state’s primary election next January. The New Hampshire primary is considered the litmus test in naming the candidate most likely to end up as the Democratic presidential candidate.
The Zogby poll found Kerry to be the candidate of choice for slightly more Democrats than Independents, and former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean has won the favor of one-in-four Democrats and 18 percent of Independents. Connecticut Sen. Joseph Lieberman was a distant third at 10 percent.
The poll also noted that three fourths of the Democratic and Independent voters in New Hampshire said it is “likely” that Bush will be re-elected in 2004, regardless of how they intend to vote.
“This is the after glow of the good press Bush has received recently, and it’s bound to slip in future polling,” said pollster John Zogby. “But at least for now, it is sobering news for all Democratic candidates that three-in-four active primary voters think the president will win.”
Summarizing the current situation, Zogby said: “Kerry holds his lead but the real story here is Dean’s rise... (but) Dean is still not known among 36 percent of the voters... The other key story here is the battle for third place — right now Lieberman and (Missouri Congressman Richard) Gephardt. A Gephardt victory in Iowa could boost him to the third place he will need in New Hampshire.”
