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Democratic Nomination Still in the Mix
More proof of the width of the Atlantic. In the UK this week, Her Majesty's Opposition appear to have done away with the nuisance of elections for leader and agreed one among themselves in a few hours. Across the Pond however, the long process of the Democratic Nomination is still giving few hints, according to the Harris Poll, as to who will challenge President Bush next year.
There is no real front-runner or breakaway group among the Democrat candidates: Senator Joe Lieberman and General Wesley Clark have only a small lead over Governor Howard Dean, Senator John Kerry and Senator Richard Gephardt.
Joe Lieberman is the best known candidate, with 81% of all Democrats and independents having heard of him. Next come Al Sharpton (70%), Richard Gephardt (68%), John Kerry (63%), Howard Dean (58%) and Wesley Clark (53%). Half or less of all Democrats and independents have heard of Senator John Edwards, former Senator Carol Moseley-Braun or Congressman Dennis Kucinich.
Lieberman also leads in terms of support, but only has 13% of Democrats and independents currently prepared to back him. Hard on his heels are Gen. Clark with 12%, Howard Dean (11%), John Kerry (10%), and Richard Gephardt (8%).
Harris point out that these are early days yet and it is a long time before the first votes will be cast in Iowa and New Hampshire. Whether the candidates will continue to run shoulder to shoulder, or whether one or two of them will succeed in breaking away from the pack before then, remains to be seen.
Harris Interactive interviewed a nationwide cross-section of 1,017 adults (ages 18+), between October 14th and 19th. The above percentages are based on 596 of these respondents who identified themselves as independents or Democrats.
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