Obama, Thompson lead key 2008 Southern vote poll

Jun 17 07:13 PM US/Eastern

Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama and Republican Fred Thompson were the frontrunners in South Carolina's first-in-the-South 2008 presidential primary, according to a poll Sunday.
The survey by the Mason-Dixon polling firm found that African-American support had pushed Obama ahead of US Senator Hillary Clinton, giving him the support of 34 percent of likely voters against 25 percent for Clinton.

Former US Senator John Edwards of North Carolina was third at 12 percent, while 24 percent of respondents were undecided.

Blacks in South Carolina, who could make up more than half of the party's primary voters, favored Obama over Clinton 41 percent to 18 percent, with about one-third of black voters in the state undecided.

In South Carolina's Republican nomination contest, Thompson -- a popular television actor and former Tennessee senator who has not yet formally entered the presidential race -- polled 25 percent. Former New York City mayor Rudolph Giuliani was second with 21 percent.

Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney was third with 11 percent, followed by US Senator John McCain at seven percent. Twenty-eight percent of likely Republican voters were undecided.

South Carolina's Democratic primary is tentatively scheduled for January 29, while the Republican contest has been set for February 2.

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