Poll: McCain leading Republicans in Mo.

ST. LOUIS, Jan. 27 (UPI) -- John McCain is leading all candidates for the Republican presidential nomination in Missouri, a poll indicates.

A St. Louis Post-Dispatch/KMOV poll conducted last week indicates that among Missouri Republican respondents, the Arizona senator is the top choice for the party's nomination, the newspaper reported Sunday.

Research 2000 pollster Del Ali, whose group polled 800 Missouri voters for its initial poll, said McCain's sudden dominance in the "Show Me" state came mere months after former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani was considered the top Republican for Missouri voters.

"It's astounding,'' Ali said. "Giuliani has fallen off the face of the Earth. And there's no question that voters are feeding off of McCain's success in other states."

On the Democratic side of the poll, which was paired with separate polls of 500 state Republicans and 500 state Democrats, Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., was the top vote-getter.

While the polls indicate Clinton is the top candidate among Missouri Democrats, Ali warned her dominance could by problematic.

"With Hillary at the top of the Democratic ticket, it could be anyone's race because she's so polarizing," Ali said. "She's the one person who energizes the Republicans."