Iowa’s caucuses are still all-the-rage — they should be, they’re only a week away — but there’s some interesting polling data out of New Hampshire and Arizona I thought I’d share.<\/p>\n
In the Granite State, American Research Group’s tracking poll<\/a> shows the Dean-Clark race tightening a bit more. The poll out this morning shows:<\/p>\n Dean — 34% (down from 36%) Obviously, trailing by 14 points may not seem like great news, but these are encouraging results for Clark. The 14-point gap is the closest any candidate has been to Dean in New Hampshire since the ARG tracking poll started in December and it’s a huge improvement on the 25-point gap Dean enjoyed over Clark as recently as two weeks ago. Meanwhile, Dean’s 34% is also the lowest he’s garnered in an ARG poll in months.<\/p>\n Another New Hampshire poll<\/a>, this one from Survey USA, has even more surprising numbers.<\/p>\n Dean — 35% (down from 45% in December) Clark within single digits of Dean in New Hampshire? Hard to believe. The main difference between the SUSA poll and the ARG poll is the “undecided” totals. In the ARG tracking poll, 18% of New Hampshire Dems are still undecided. SUSA’s method strives to get these undecideds to back someone, and as a result, only 2 percent in the SUSA poll were listed as unsure. Apparently, most of those undecideds were backing Clark.<\/p>\n Perhaps as important as the New Hampshire results were another Survey USA poll out of Arizona<\/a>. It’s more good news for Clark in a key Feb. 3 primary state. Clark — 39% (up from 29% in mid-December)
\nClark — 20% (up from 19%)
\nKerry — 11% (up from 10%)
\nEveryone else in single digits<\/p>\n
\nClark — 26% (up from 11% in December)
\nKerry — 13% (down from 15% in December)
\nEveryone else in single digits<\/p>\n
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\nWhile polls in the fall showed Dean with a narrow lead in Arizona, this poll showed Clark pulling ahead.<\/p>\n
\nDean — 32% (up from 31% in mid-December)
\nEveryone else in single digits<\/p>\n