Dean gains in poll of N.H.Leads Kerry by 23 points
By Anne E. Kornblut, Globe Staff, 12/14/2003
Over the past month, Howard Dean has carefully refashioned himself as the ordained Democratic pick for president, using key endorsements to shed his insurgent image and to create an aura of inevitability around his campaign. And in New Hampshire, at least, the approach has worked: Less than two months before the state primary, Dean holds a stronger lead than ever before, and is overwhelmingly viewed as the strongest Democrat against President Bush. Dean is ahead by 23 percentage points, with 42 percent favoring the former Vermont governor and 19 percent supporting his closest rival, Senator John F. Kerry of Massachusetts, said the survey, conducted by KRC Communications Research for The Boston Globe and WBZ-TV.
The endorsement from former Vice President Al Gore apparently helped, with 20 percent of those surveyed -- including 15 percent of undecided voters -- saying they are more likely to vote for Dean as a result. So firmly has Dean established himself that almost 60 percent of Democrats in New Hampshire now expect him to be the party's eventual nominee.
Even among Kerry's supporters, more than a third, or 37 percent, see Dean as the inevitable winner of the nomination -- while none of the Dean supporters can envision Kerry in that role.
New Hampshire poll. MoE +/- 5%.
(October results in parenthesis.)
Dean 42 (37) <- Climbing...
Kerry 19 (24) <- Dropping like a rock...(Keep talking about Dean...)
Clark 13 (8) <- Climbing...
Edwards 7 (9)
Lieberman 5 (5)
Gephardt 3 (7) <- Former House Majority Leader...
Other/Undecided 11 (10)
http://www.boston.com/news/politics/president/articles/2003/12/14/dean_gains_in_poll_of_nh/