December 12: Poll Update

The most recent national tracking poll from Rasmussen shows Huckabee 3 points ahead of Giuliani:

In the race for the Republican Presidential Nomination, Mike Huckabee attracts support from 23% of Likely Republican Primary voters nationwide and Rudy Giuliani earns the vote at 20% support. The frontrunners are followed by Mitt Romney at 14%, Fred Thompson at 10% and John McCain at 8%. Ron Paul currently attracts 6% of Likely Republican Primary voters nationwide.

A new Strategic Vision poll has Huckabee leading in Georgia:

Huckabee 23
Thompson 20
Giuliani 17
McCain 11
Romney 10
Paul 4

A recent poll of grassroots conservatives conducted by Grassfire.org confirms Huckabee's surge among conservative voters:

The nation's largest statistically valid survey of grassroots conservatives has found that Mike Huckabee now enjoys a 2-to-1 margin of support over his nearest competitor -- a dramatic shift from a similar poll conducted in September.

When asked whom they would vote for if the Republican primary were held today, 34 percent of grassroots conservatives preferred Huckabee -- an increase from just 7% in the September Grassfire poll. Fred Thompson, who led Grassfire's May and September polls by wide margins, finished second and lost nearly half his suport (16% down from 28% in September). Grassfire.org conducted the survey December 1-9, 2007 of all active Grassfire.org team members. Over 67,000 participated and the survey has a margin of error of less than 1% at a 99% confidence level for the Grassfire.org audience.

“Among grassroots conservatives, Huckabee is seeing a remarkable surge,” said Steve Elliott, President of Grassfire.org. Elliott added that grassroots conservatives find Hucakbee among the most trustworthy on the issue of stopping illegal immigration—barely eclipsed by immigration stalwart Tom Tancredo 18.9% to 18.4%. “They trust Mike Huckabee to secure our borders,” says Elliott.

Additionally, 25% of grassroots conservatives now think Huckabee will win the nomination—up from just 2% in September. And among the major Republican candidates, Huckabee is the least likely to spark an exodus if he wins. “All of these factors indicate Huckabee’s surge may have staying power and his upside potential is only escalating,” says Elliott.