Matt Ortega

Strategic Vision released a poll that shows former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani ahead of the GOP pack in Iowa. The Iowa Caucuses are less than a year away.

The poll was conducted February 16-18 with 600 likely Republican caucus goers with a margin of error at ±4 percent.

1. If the 2008 Republican presidential caucus were held today between, Sam Brownback, Jim Gilmore, Newt Gingrich, Rudy Giuliani, Chuck Hagel, Mike Huckabee, Duncan Hunter, John McCain, George Pataki, Mitt Romney, Tom Tancredo, and Tommy Thompson for whom would you vote? (Republicans Only; Names Rotated)

Rudy Giuliani 29%
John McCain 22%
Newt Gingrich 11%
Mitt Romney 9%
Chuck Hagel 5%
Tommy Thompson 3%
Tom Tancredo 2%
Sam Brownback 2%
Mike Huckabee 2%
Jim Gilmore 1%
Duncan Hunter 1%
Undecided 13%

Giuliani increased his numbers by four percent. Others include: McCain +1, Gingrich -2, Romney +1, Hagel -2, Thompson +1, Tancredo ±0, Brownback ±0, Huckabee +1, Gilmore ±0, Hunter ±0, Undecided -3.

President Bush’s image as a conservative continues to crumble. In January, 11 percent believed him to be a “conservative in the mold of Ronald Reagan” with 77 percent disagreeing and 12 percent undecided. This month, only 8 percent believe that is true with 78 percent opposed. Thirteen percent are undecided.

It would be of interest to speculate how Giuliani’s numbers would fare if his opponents began tying the former mayor to President Bush on the conservative plane. Earlier this month, Giuliani, while praising Bush in California, said he would be a president just like the current Republican occupying the White House.

… America, he added, is “very fortunate to have President Bush.”

“Presidents can’t do nonbinding resolutions. Presidents have to make decisions and move the country forward, and that’s the kind of president that I would like to be, a president who makes decisions.”

McCain has taken measured shots at Bush in recent days, despite his staunch support of the President on Iraq.