Poll: Clinton Ahead of Giuliani in New York

Mayor Giuliani may be known as "America's Mayor," but a new public opinion poll shows he would probably lose his home state if he ran against Senator Clinton in the presidential election.

A Rasmussen Reports poll released yesterday found that the former first lady, a Democrat, would capture 58% of the vote in New York, while Mr. Giuliani, a Republican, would win 33% if the election were held today. New York has traditionally fallen in the Democratic column.

A separate Rasmussen Reports poll yesterday found Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Giuliani nearly neck-and-neck in Pennsylvania, which is viewed as a 2008 swing state. That poll shows that 45% of voters would back Mrs. Clinton while 44% would go for Mr. Giuliani.

In the swing state of Missouri, meanwhile, Mrs. Clinton bests all four leading Republican White House contenders — Mr. Giuliani, Senator McCain, Governor Romney, and Senator Thompson — in head-to-head matchups.

Political analysts said that if Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Giuliani emerge as the nominees, it would be even harder to predict where swing states will come down. Mr. Giuliani's moderate social positions could attract crossover Democrats, while Mrs. Clinton could attract Republicans who are fed up with their party, the analysts said.