Independent Poll: Obama Leads Clinton

ATLANTA, May 09, 2007, 4:45 p.m. - Sen. Barack Obama is in the lead for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination, according to a new independent poll.

Forty-five percent of independents have a favorable view of Obama, followed by Sen. Hillary Clinton at 39 percent and John Edwards at 38 percent, according to a poll paid for by the Committee for a Unified Independent Party (CUIP).

CUIP, an organizing center for independent voters with networks in 35 states, shows a tighter race for the Republican nomination. Rudy Giuliani is viewed favorably by 28 percent and Sen. John McCain by 24 percent, according to the poll.

“Independent voters are looking to see which candidates are reaching out beyond their own party’s base to acknowledge and include them,” said Jacqueline Salit, the president of CUIP. “Everyone agrees independents will decide the election in 2008. We’re helping to inform and shape their decision-making process.”

CUIP's “Indie2Indie” phone-poll included 800 independents from 28 states, she said. The poll is an ongoing survey begun in March and will continue throughout the election season.

Of the independent respondents to CUIP’s poll, 63 percent are white, 26 percent are black, 6 percent are Latino or Hispanic, 2 percent are Asian, 1 percent are Native American, and 2 percent identified as “other.”

Forty percent of respondents are between 41-56 years old, 37 percent are 56 and over, 5 percent are 18-25 years old and 18 percent are 26-40 years of age.

While only half of the states currently hold open primaries allowing independents to vote in the either major party primary, 84 percent of independents surveyed say they would like to see open primaries in all states.

The results echo the latest Rassmussen Report national survey which also found Obama leading among independents receiving 38 percent, followed by Clinton at 19 percent and Edwards at 18 percent. (Additionally, 10 percent of independents selected “some other candidate,” 9 percent were not sure, 4 percent picked Richardson, and Biden received 2 percent.)