In the McClatchy-MSNBC poll, John Edwards gained strength as rivals Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama lost ground, said Brad Coker of Mason-Dixon Polling & Research, which conducted the survey Dec. 26-28.

On the Republican side, Mitt Romney regained the lead as Mike Huckabee lost momentum, even among evangelicals who had boosted him in recent polls, Coker said.

In the poll released Saturday, Edwards, a former senator from North Carolina, garnered 24 percent, while Clinton, a senator from New York, had 23 percent, Obama, an Illinois senator had 22 percent, Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico 12 percent, Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware 8 percent, Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut 2 percent, Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio 1 percent and 8 percent undecided.

Among Republicans, Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, had 27 percent, Huckabee, a former Arkansas governor, had 23 percent, former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson had 14 percent, Sen. John McCain of Arizona had 13 percent, while former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Rep. Ron Paul of Texas had 5 percent, Rep. Duncan Hunter of California had 1 percent and 12 percent were undecided.

The poll's margin of error was five percentage points.