Washington – Fred Thompson’s expected entry into the tight GOP presidential race is drawing strength from conservatives and older men, vaulting him into the thick of the nomination fight, an Associated Press-Ipsos poll says.
The top Democrat, Sen. Hillary Clinton, has twice the support of women in the poll as nearest rival Sen. Barack Obama, but she has dwindling strength among men. Her margin has eroded slightly since the AP-Ipsos poll in March.
Thompson, who has sandwiched an acting career around a largely anonymous eight years as Tennessee senator, has not formally entered the race, but he has impressed many people. One in four of his supporters cites his strong character, more than any other GOP candidate.
“He can be kind of Reaganesque in his engaging with people,” said Ronald Coppinger, 47, a carpenter from Indianapolis, describing a plain-spoken style like the late President Reagan’s.
The poll released Saturday shows former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani at 27 percent; Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., at 19 percent; Thompson essentially even with McCain at 17 percent; and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney at 10 percent.
Clinton had the support of four in 10 women – a group that was 54 percent of the vote in 2004’s key Democratic primaries. One in three supporters cite her experience.
Clinton had 33 percent in the poll; Obama, 21 percent; former Vice President Al Gore, who is not a candidate, 20 percent; and former Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., 12 percent.
Democratic analysts had no ready explanation why Clinton has lost support from men, especially younger men. Much of this support seems to have moved to Gore.
