First Look “Poll” Suggests Clinton Leading Obama in Arizona
While the data less than 400 people, pollster Bruce Merrill predicts that voters favor Hillary by a double digit margin.
Clinton still leads among Democrats in state, poll finds
Capitol Media Services
Tucson, Arizona
PHOENIX — Hillary Clinton is maintaining her lead among Democrats in Arizona despite Gov. Janet Napolitano endorsing her leading foe.
A new survey of 366 likely Democratic voters in the Feb. 5 primary shows the senator from New York is the choice of 30 percent of those questioned. Illinois Sen. Barack Obama is the pick of 17 percent, with former North Carolina senator John Edwards far back at 5 percent.
When pollster Bruce Merrill factors in those who are leaning toward one of the candidates, Clinton picks up 45 percent of the vote against Obama’s 24 percent.
Both figures have a 5.1 percent margin of error.
Merrill said Clinton’s lead is about the same as it was in October — and the same as it was before the governor’s Jan. 11 endorsement of Obama. But Merrill, who conducted the survey for KAET-TV, the Phoenix PBS affiliate, after the endorsement, said the failure of Napolitano to move the numbers is no surprise. Click here for more on this story at the Arizona Star.