Clinton finishes on top _ and on bottom _ in NJ presidential poll

Clinton finishes on top _ and on bottom _ in NJ presidential poll

ANGELA DELLI SANTI
The Associated Press

TRENTON, N.J. - Hillary Rodham Clinton is the presidential candidate New Jerseyans love , and love to hate.

Clinton finished atop a new poll as the candidate primary voters are most likely to support , and on bottom as the one they're least likely to support.

Fairleigh Dickinson University political scientist Krista Jenkins explained the seemingly mixed-up result this way: "The fact that Sen. Clinton tops the list of likely and unlikely candidates is a reflection of her often-polarizing effect on people. As has often been the case since her entrance into public life, Sen. Clinton elicits strong opinions from people."

The Fairleigh Dickinson University-PublicMind poll released Tuesday shows the Democratic New York senator leads all candidates of both parties with 25 percent of voters' support. Illinois Sen. and fellow Democrat Barack Obama was next, with 18 percent, while Arizona Sen. John McCain picked up 10 percent and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani had 8 percent.

However, when asked which of the potential presidential nominees they were least likely to support in November, Clinton topped the list of contenders again, this time with 27 percent. Giuliani was second with 17 percent, compared with 13 percent for Mike Huckabee and 9 percent who would not vote for Obama.

The poll of 797 likely primary voters was conducted by telephone Jan. 14-20. It has a sampling margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.