Clinton takes New Hampshire Democrat presidential primary, says Marist Institute poll

Clinton takes New Hampshire Democrat presidential primary, says Marist Institute poll

Poughkeepsie -- Hillary Clinton has a wide lead over her Democratic rivals for the 2008 New Hampshire Democratic Presidential Primary, according to a Marist College Institute for Public Opinion poll released Sunday.

Forty-one percent of likely Democratic presidential primary voters support New York Senator Clinton followed by 20 percent for Senator Barack Obama. Former Senator John Edwards receives 11 percent. The other candidates, Governor Bill Richardson, Senator Joe Biden, Congressman Dennis Kucinich, Senator Chris Dodd, and former Senator Mike Gravel, all trail with single digit support.

The voters’ priorities in the New Hampshire Democratic primary are the war in Iraq, health care, and the economy outdistance other concerns.

On the Republican side, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney edges the field of candidates vying for the Republican presidential nomination, according to the Poughkeepsie college poll.

Twenty-six percent of likely New Hampshire Republican Presidential Primary voters support Romney followed by 20 percent for former Mayor Rudy Giuliani, 17 percent for Senator John McCain, and 10 percent for Senator Fred Thompson. The remaining candidates, former Governor Mike Huckabee, Congressman Ron Paul, Congressman Duncan Hunter, Congressman Tom Tancredo, and Senator Sam Brownback, all follow with single digit support.

Security from terrorism tops the list of concerns on the minds of likely New Hampshire Republican Presidential Primary voters. Twenty-six percent of these voters say security from terrorism is the most important issue when deciding their vote for president. The poll reports that 18 percent cite the economy while 14 percent feel the war in Iraq is central to their choice for president. Twelve percent find illegal immigration to be the vital issue.