Giuliani Leads GOP With Romney Close Second

Atlanta, GA/October 13, 2007 – Strategic Vision, LLC, an Atlanta-headquartered public relations and public affairs agency, announced the results of a three-day poll of 1200 likely Michigan voters. The poll has a margin of error of ±3 percentage points. In the poll, 46% (552 respondents) identified themselves as Democrats; 42% (504 respondents) identified themselves as Republicans; and 12% (144 respondents) identified themselves as Independent or other party affiliation.

When asked if they approved or disapproved of President Bush’s overall job performance, 21% of respondents approved; 68% disapproved; and 11% were undecided. When asked if they approved or disapproved of the President’s handling of the economy, 18% approved; 71% disapproved; and 11% were undecided. When asked if they approved or disapproved of the President’s handling of the war in Iraq, 19% approved; 69% disapproved; and 12% were undecided. When asked if they approved of his handling of the war against terrorism, 51% said yes; 42% said no; and 7% were undecided.

“The President’s support among all sectors of the population continues to be at all time lows,” said David E. Johnson, CEO and Co-Founder of Strategic Vision, LLC. “At this time, the biggest demographic movement is the number of social conservatives who are registering strong disapproval for the President particularly with the issue of Iraq. Unless the President can regain support among social conservatives it is hard to see how he can stop his continual decline in his polling position.”

When asked if they favored an immediate withdrawal of United States military forces from Iraq within 6 months, 57% said yes; 35% said no; and 8% were undecided.

“The number of voters favoring an immediate withdrawal from Iraq has increased since our July poll,” said Johnson. “The biggest shift has been among the growing number of Republicans favoring a withdrawal.”

When Republicans were asked if they viewed President Bush as a conservative in the mode of Ronald Reagan, 8% said yes; 76% said no; and 16% were undecided.

“This question shows the President’s weakness among conservative Republicans who no longer view him as Ronald Reagan’s heir and are already looking beyond the Bush Administration,” said Johnson. “This is another sign of why the President’s power among Republicans is getting precarious. This demonstrates the lack of a power base among Republicans for President Bush and why Republican candidates at any level barely mention his name.”

The poll showed 47% of respondents approving of Governor Jennifer Granholm’s job performance; 41% disapproving; and 12% undecided.

“Governor Granholm’s standing in the state is directly linked to the economy, with the one saving grace for her is that President Bush is blamed more for Michigan’s anemic economy than she is,” said Johnson.

Senator Carl Levin received a job approval of 51%; with 38% disapproving; and 11% undecided. Senator Debbie Stabenow received a job approval of 49%; with 35% disapproving; and 16% undecided.

When asked if voters approved or disapproved of the way Congress is handling its job, 17% approved; 67% disapproved; and 16% were undecided.

When Republicans were polled on whom they would support in 2008 for the Republican Presidential nomination, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani received 24%; Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney received 20%; Former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson received 15%; Arizona Senator John McCain received 10%; former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee received 5%; Texas Congressman Ron Paul received 4%; Colorado Congressman Tom Tancredo received 2%; California Congressman Duncan Hunter received 1%; Kansas Senator Sam Brownback received 1%; and 18% were undecided.

“Giuliani continues to lead in Michigan with Romney closing the gap and Thompson holding steady,” said Johnson. “Despite McCain’s previous strength in the state, his campaign continues to be in a freefall with none of the other candidates poised to break out.”

When Republicans were asked how important it was for their presidential candidate to be conservative in the mode of Ronald Reagan, 43% said very important; 18% said somewhat important; 7% said not very important; 15% said not important; and 17% were undecided.

“This question shows that the key to the Republican nomination for a candidate is persuading voters that they are a true Reagan conservative,” said Johnson.

On the Democratic side, New York Senator Hillary Clinton led with 42%; Illinois Senator Barack Obama received 26%; former North Carolina Senator John Edwards received 10%; New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson received 7%; Delaware Senator Joseph Biden received 2%; former Connecticut Senator Christopher Dodd received 1%; Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich received 1%; and 11% were undecided.

“This race continues to be one of Clinton dominating the field,” said Johnson. “Clinton continues to outpoll Obama among African-Americans and in the metropolitan areas of Michigan.”

When Democratic voters were asked what they most looked for in a presidential candidate, charisma, experience, or ideology, 35% selected ideology; 33% selected experience; 15% said charisma; and 17% were undecided.

“The results from this question should bode well for Clinton,” Johnson said.

Strategic Vision, LLC is an Atlanta-headquartered public relations and public affairs agency. Results are based on telephone interviews with 1200 likely voters in Michigan, aged 18+, and conducted October 5-7, 2007. The margin of sampling error is ±3 percentage points. Additional information on Strategic Vision, LLC may be obtained at www.strategicvision.biz.

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