Des Moines Register Poll: Gephardt inches ahead in Iowa

[Karmadillo]

http://www.dmregister.com/news/stories/c4789004/22685215.html

U.S. Rep. Dick Gephardt has overtaken former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean as the Democratic presidential front-runner in a new Des Moines Register poll of Iowans likely to take part in the Jan. 19 caucuses.

However, Gephardt's 7-percentage-point lead over Dean in the Iowa Poll appears a little wobbly. More of Dean's supporters say their minds are made up and they are certain of their participation in the Democratic caucuses, which launch the presidential nominating season for the nation.

The Iowa Poll, taken last week, shows Gephardt is the first choice of 27 percent of Iowans who say they definitely or probably will attend the precinct caucuses. Dean is the favorite of 20 percent. That's a gain of 6 percentage points for Gephardt and a 3-point drop for Dean since late July, when the last Iowa Poll on the race was taken.

U.S. Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts remains in third place with 15 percent, a gain of 1 percentage point from July. The poll has a margin of error of 4.4 percentage points.

more...

[StClone]

1. Political Analysts had this pegged almost a year ago

I don't know what to make of it on a national scale. Though Gephardt could give a good showing against Bush, the comfortable Midwest flavor of neighbor Gephardt is what is attracting Iowans.

[Classical_Liberal]

2. Gephardt has a lot of old loyalist, but I don't think he will

get as many people to the caucuses as Dean will. His partisans don't exactly party.

[Karmadillo]

3. Kick for the evening crowd

n/t