WASHINGTON, June 12 (UPI) -- A new poll suggested conservative voters are rallying behind former Sen. Fred Thompson, R-Tenn., boosting the possible presidential candidate's standing.
The poll found former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani leads the Republican candidates with 27 percent of Republicans and independents planning to vote in the Republican primary expressing support for him. But Thompson, who is expected to join the race officially in July, is rapidly approaching the front with 21 percent support, The Los Angeles Times reported Tuesday.
Only two other Republicans had double-digit showings in the poll: Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., was supported by 12 percent of those surveyed and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney had the support of 10 percent.
Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., led the Democratic field with 33 percent support, followed by Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., with 22 percent and former Vice President Al Gore -- who hasn't entered the race -- at 15 percent. Former Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., had the support of 8 percent.
The telephone poll of 1,056 registered voters, conducted Thursday through Sunday, had a margin of sampling error of 3 percentage points for all voters and 5 points for each primary.
