How Dean, Kerry, and Clark are doing vs. Bush in New Hampshire

The University of New Hampshire in addition to doing a poll showing how the Democratic race is shaping up in NH has also done a survey showing how three leading candidates for the nomination are doing in head-to-head contests with Bush. It is very encouraging that at this early date that Howard Dean, John Kerry, and Wesley Clark are keeping Bush under 50% in a state where republicans out number Dems by 11-points. Here are the results:

Bush: 48%
Dean: 38%

Northern NH 44-39 for Bush
Western NH 45-48 for Dean
Central/Lakes 48-39 for Bush
Hillsborough counties 57-31 for Bush
Sea Coasts 43-40 for Bush

Bush: 49%
Kerry: 38%

Northern NH 39-39 tie
Western NH 44-49 for Kerry
Central/Lakes 49-42 for Bush
Hillsbourough ctys 52-31 for Bush
Sea Coasts 50-39 for Bush

Bush: 49%
Clark: 32%

Northern NH 45-32 Bush
Western NH 36-36 tie
Central/Lakes 52-30 Bush
Hillsborough cty 47-29 Bush
Sea Coast 47-37 Bush

**What is significant (imo) about this poll is not that Howard Dean is doing best against Bush than Clark or even Kerry, but how well our candidates are doing vs. Bush. Also, unlike some states which have early polls NH is a state where more people have been concentrating on the presidential race and candidates have been getting their messages out. I think regardless of who our eventual nominee is that he will be competitive in this state.

http://www.unh.edu/survey-center/index.html

Also Pennsylvania had a poll showing how various of our candidates are doing in that key state vs. Bush. Each is losing currently to Bush ranging from 5-10 points, but look at how they all have been gaining on Bush since the last poll:

Bush vs. Lieberman 50-44 for Bush (Bush had been ahead 54-38 in previous poll)
Bush vs. Kerry 50-43 for Bush (Bush had been ahead 55-37 in previous poll)
Bush vs. Gephardt 50-42 for Bush (Bush had been ahead 56-36 in previous poll)
Bush vs. Dean 51-41 for Bush (Bush had been ahead 57-34 in previous poll)
Bush vs. Clark 48-43 for Bush (first poll to include Clark)

So Lieberman closed gap with Bush by 10-points.
Kerry closed gap with Bush by 11-points
Gep closed gap with Bush by 12-points.
Dean closed gap with Bush by 13-points.

All this in a state that has not yet had much campaigning in by our candidates due to it being a late primary state.

http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x660.xml