Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York and Barack Obama of Illinois are running roughly even nationally as the battle for the Democratic nomination heads into Tuesday’s big round of primaries and caucuses, while Sen John McCain of Arizona has jumped to a dominating lead over his remaining rivals in the Republican race, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.Two days before voters in 24 states go to their polling places, 47 per cent of likely Democratic voters said they back Clinton and 43 per cent said they support Obama, with neither candidate decisively benefiting from the departure of former Sen John Edwards of North Carolina from the race.By contrast, McCain’s wins in primaries in South Carolina and Florida and the winnowing of the Republican field have had a dramatic result: The senator from Arizona is now the clear front-runner for his party’s nomination.McCain leads former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney 48 per cent to 24 per cent among probable GOP voters as he continues to rapidly consolidate support, particularly among moderates and liberals. Former Arkansas Gov Mike Huckabee runs third in the new poll with 16 per cent, and Rep Ron Paul of Texas is fourth at seven per cent.The Democratic and Republican hopefuls have been furiously crisscrossing the country seeking out votes in advance of Super Tuesday. More primaries and caucuses are being held on February 5 than on any previous single day in a nominating contest; about half the delegates needed to secure each party’s nomination at are stake.McCain’s big lead in this new national poll matches a wave of increasing support seen in state polls, which, coupled with the GOP’s winner-take-all rules, gives him the opportunity to effectively wrap up the nomination with a strong showing Tuesday.The Democratic contest is likely to keep going.Democratic delegates are doled out based on complex formulas, with candidates picking up backers based on their performance within states and within congressional districts. The new poll underscores how competitive the race continues to be.While Clinton has the edge on the issues voters say are most important to them, and enjoys a wide lead on the question of who is a stronger leader, Obama now holds a seven-percentage-point advantage as the candidate who would do the most to bring needed change to Washington.And Clinton’s once-sizable lead as the Democrat with the best shot at winning the White House has shrunk significantly; in the new poll, 47 per cent said she is the most electable, while 42 per cent said Obama has the better chance. In hypothetical general-election matchups, both Democrats run neck-and-neck with McCain, and both lead Romney by double digits.McCain outperforms Romney in the general-election tests because he picks up significantly more support among independents and political moderates. These groups have been crucial to the senator in early-state caucuses and primaries, and his biggest gains in this poll came among them.McCain has taken control of the GOP race by picking up mainline Republican supporters as well. Nearly half of self-identified Republicans now support him, up nearly fourfold from December. He appears to have benefited from the decisions by former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former Sen. Fred Thompson of Tennessee to quit the race. Both Giuliani, who has endorsed McCain, and Thompson appealed to many of the voters McCain now counts in his camp.For all his advantages, McCain does not enjoy the kind of enthusiastic support that Clinton and Obama have among their voters.
