WASHINGTON — Republicans antsy for a conservative standard-bearer in the presidential race have begun to rally behind Fred Thompson, propelling the former Tennessee senator to within hailing distance of the lead for the party's nomination, a new Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg Poll has found.
Former New York Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani holds first place in the survey, with support from 27% of the Republicans and independents who said they plan to vote in the party's 2008 primaries.
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Wednesday June 13, 2007 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 1 inches; 60 words Type of Material: Correction
Presidential poll: A chart accompanying an article Tuesday in Section A reporting the results of a Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg Poll said 31% of Democratic voters surveyed thought it was more important for the candidate they choose in the primary to have "long experience in government and policymaking" than to be someone who "bridges partisan divides." It should have said 39%.
But Thompson, an actor who played a prosecutor on NBC's "Law & Order," runs just behind, with 21%. Indications are he will join the race within the next month.
The two other major GOP contenders, Sen. John McCain of Arizona and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, fall well short of the leaders and are in a battle for third place. McCain was backed by 12% of those polled, Romney by 10%. The rest of the crowded field is mired in single digits.
Among the Democratic candidates, the race remains little changed from a Times/Bloomberg poll in April.
New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton maintains a solid lead at 33%, followed by Illinois Sen. Barack Obama at 22%. Running third, with 15%, is former Vice President Al Gore, who continues to say he has no plans to seek the office he barely lost in 2000. Fourth is former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards at 8%.
Despite Clinton's lead, Obama is the strongest Democrat in hypothetical match-ups with Republicans in the general election, running even or well ahead of the GOP's top contenders.
Clinton, in a showing that could spark concerns among some Democrats, does not fare as well. Against Giuliani, for instance, the poll found she would lose by 10 percentage points.
Overall, the survey underscored the unsettled nature of the Republican contest, with voters splitting roughly along ideological lines.
Giuliani, whose views on abortion, gay rights and guns are to the left of many in his party, has built a wide base among moderates and independents, while Thompson has drawn conservatives, particularly among the religious right.
That dynamic, however, could change quickly. Giuliani has faced a swarm of media scrutiny of his weak spots for months, but retains a lead in national polls, although it is somewhat diminished.
Thompson, by contrast, is only starting to introduce himself. He has never endured the rigors of a high-profile campaign and has not parried with rivals in debates, as Giuliani and nine other Republicans have done three times this spring.
