Iowa Leaning Democratic for ’08 Presidential Election

A new poll conducted by the University of Iowa gives an insight into the inroads the Democratic Party may still be making—building off their success in the 2006 Election. A survey conducted July 29—August 5 of 907 registered voters asked an open-ended question of Iowans as to whom they would vote for president.

While a significant number (31 percent) were undecided, more than twice as many cited Democratic candidates (44 percent) than Republican candidates (17 percent). Several recent polls—national and statewide—have found Democratic voters to be much more satisfied with their candidates than Republicans with their field. In the University of Iowa survey, more than twice as many likely Republican caucus voters (27 percent) were unsatisfied with the field of candidates, compared to 11 percent for likely Democratic caucus voters.

In the open-ended presidential choice question, Hillary Clinton led the way with 18 percent, followed by Barack Obama with 14 percent. Mitt Romney and John Edwards received 9 percent, followed by Rudy Giuliani at percent.

But the big news coming out this week in Iowa is the possibility that the caucuses might have to move to December of 2007—more than a month ahead of the 2004 presidential election cycle. Iowa is feeling the pressure to move its caucuses before Christmas as a domino effect from Florida’s controversial decision to hold its primary in the last week of January. That prompted South Carolina—normally the second primary in the nation, to move its primary date up in January, which forces New Hampshire to hold its first-in-the-nation primary even earlier in the month.