Clinton, Obama virtually tied in N.H.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 12 (UPI) -- Democratic presidential hopefuls Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are statistically tied for the lead in New Hampshire, a CNN poll showed Wednesday.

Clinton, D-N.Y., had 31 percent to Obama's, D-Ill., 30 percent, a statistical tie heading into first presidential primary, CNN reported in its latest survey. New Hampshire's primary is Jan. 8.

Clinton lost 5 percentage points since a November CNN/WMUR poll while Obama gained 8 percentage points, results from the poll conducted by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center showed.

Former Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., trailed the front-runners by 14 percentage points.

"This race is not over by a long shot," said CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "Forty-three percent of Democratic primary voters, and a whopping 55 percent of GOP voters, say they are still trying to make

up their minds."

On the Republican side, the poll showed former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney maintained his lead, collecting 32 percent. Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., tied with 19 percent and one-time Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee was at 9 percent.

The poll of 354 likely Republican primary voters and 378 likely Democratic primary voters has plus or minus 5 percentage-point margin of error.