Front-Runner Gary Hart's Support Is Thin
The Harris Survey For release: Monday All, January 12, 1987 1987 # 2 ISSN 0273-1037 FRONT-RUNNER GARY HART'S SUPPORT IS THIN By Louis Harris Gary Hart is far and away the front-runner for the Democratic nomination for president in 1988. Be runs well ahead of Vice President George Bush, and yet he is far less appealing to the American people than he was in 1984. This strange combination in turn indicates just how weak a candidate Bush is and also portends qUite a wide open contest in both parties for the nominations next year. At last count, Hart, the former Colorado Senator who chose not to run for reelection in order to spend full time campaigning for the White House, was the first choice of 31 percent of all Democratic and independent voters, followed by Governor Mario Cuomo of New York at 19 percent and Senator Bill Bradley at 9 percent, according to the October 29th to November 1st Harris Survey, taken by telephone among 731 Democratic and independent voters. This is a good though not commanding lead for Hart. At the same time, Hart is leading Vice President Bush by 50-42 percent among a cross section of 909 likely voters, interviewed by the Harris Survey by telephone between November 21st and 24th. Significantly, Hart is ahead of Bush in the East by 52-40 percent, in the Midwest by 52-37 percent, and in the West by 53-37 percent, although he trails the Vice President by 50-46 percent in the South. Translated into electoral college votes, this would mean a relatively easy Hart victory over Bush.
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