Thread: Eye on '08: McCain Has New Champion, Just Not in Arizona

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,243740,00.html

Eye on '08: McCain Has New Champion, Just Not in Arizona

Monday , January 15, 2007

By Aaron Bruns




WASHINGTON — The following is a new feature from FOXNews.com's political unit offering readers updates and the lowdown on newsmakers looking at their 2008 presidential prospects.

A.M. Top Stories

— California Rep. Duncan Hunter won a Phoenix, Ariz., straw poll of GOP insiders. Sen. John McCain finished fourth in his home state and was named the most unacceptable presidential candidate.

— Illinois Sen. Barack Obama's camp is split about the timing of a presidential announcement, with some pushing for a statement this week, FOX News has learned. Meanwhile, The London Times notes that Obama's wildly enthusiastic reception among many Democrats isn't echoed among black activists. And The New York Daily News talks to Obama's college friends, who say they never saw this coming. The Chicago Tribune gives readers a rundown of Obama's inner circle.

— The New York Post reports John Edwards and New York Sen. Hillary Clinton are in a tussle over the war in Iraq as Clinton advisers fired back at the former North Carolina senator took a swipe at lawmakers who refuse to cut off funding for additional troops in Iraq.

— The Boston Globe details yet another conservative conversion for former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, finding that his positions on gun control have veered to the right since his 1994 Senate run.

— John McCain’s presidential exploratory committee announced Monday that Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty will serve as national co-chairman of the Arizona senator's presidential campaign should he decide to run. Pawlenty appeared on FOX & Friends to discuss his role.

• Video: Click here to watch Gov. Pawlenty's interview on FOX News Channel.

— The Spartanburg Herald-Journal reports California Rep. Duncan Hunter will formally announce his candidacy on Jan. 25, two days after the State of the Union address. Hunter formed an exploratory committee last week.

— The Federal Election Commission confirms to The New York Daily News what candidates have been telling FOX News for months — that it will take $100 million by December to be taken seriously as a presidential candidate. FEC Commissioner Michael Toner says "We're heading into the first $1 billion election."

— Candidate forums begin next month in Nevada, home of the first Democratic caucuses, the Reno Gazette-Journal reports. The AFS-CME will host 2008 Democrats on Feb. 21. Nevada Democrats also announced four other forums and debates scheduled over the next year.

— Analysis: Real Clear Politics features an article by Fox News contributor Michael Barone, who takes a look back at the last election conducted without an incumbent or vice president running for the White House — it took place in 1928 — and what insights it can offer for the upcoming race.
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This is the straw poll mentioned above:

http://sonoranalliance.com/?p=599

On Saturday, January 13th at the Maricopa County Republican meeting, a straw poll was conducted on the 2008 Presidential candidates and the reasons why the Republican faithful thought we lost the election last November. Here are those results:

458 Ballots cast

First Choice for Presidential Candidate:
1 Hunter 96
2 Romney 82
3 Gingrich 53
4 McCain 50
5 Rice 27
6 Tancredo 24
7 Giuliani 22
8 Brownback 14
9 Huckabee 10
10 Hagel 2
11 Barbour 1
12 Pataki 0
Unacceptable Presidential Candidates:
1 McCain 282
2 Hagel 272
3 Pataki 260
4 Giuliani 213
5 Barbour 113
6 Brownback 108
6 Huckabee 108
7 Rice 91
8 Tancredo 85
9 Gingrich 81
10 Hunter 71
11 Romney 65
Acceptable Presidential Candidates:
1 Rice 269
2 Gingrich 265
3 Romney 239
4 Tancredo 219
5 Barbour 182
6 Brownback 178
7 Huckabee 167
7 Hunter 167
8 Giuliani 157
9 McCain 89
10 Pataki 70
11 Hagel 28
Republicans lost last November because:
Primary Reason Iraq 136
Secondary Reason Spending 115
Tertiary Reason Too Lenient on Immigration 94

— California Rep. Duncan Hunter won a Phoenix, Ariz., straw poll of GOP insiders. Sen. John McCain finished fourth in his home state and was named the most unacceptable presidential candidate.

It's a start!

Sen. John McCain finished fourth in his home state and was named the most unacceptable presidential candidate.

I'll second that vote about mccain being the most unacceptable candidate. Although him and hillary share that title.

I'm still pulling for Tancredo! I hope he gets a good response and runs.

I agree McKennedy is not acceptable.

Sen. John McCain finished fourth in his home state and was named the most unacceptable presidential candidate.

..sure hope that phoney-baloney goes off to hibernate and saves us the cost of campaigning.

McCain would do better if he ran an honest race and just admitted to being a Democrat. Tancredo for President!!! Hunter for Vice...

THIS IS GREAT NEWS!!!!

DOWN WITH THE TRAITOR MCCAIN

When McCain sold out the people on illegal immigration as well, his soul to the powers that be on very issue he had to know this was coming.

I guess McCain is willing to sacrifice his Presidential aspirations to the agenda of the global elite.