Inside Politics

Dean’s surge

Democrat Howard Dean has jumped to a commanding 21-point lead over rival John Kerry in the latest New Hampshire poll.

Mr. Dean, who held a single-digit advantage in a recent survey, led Mr. Kerry 38 percent to 17 percent in the Zogby International poll of likely primary voters conducted Aug. 23-26 and released yesterday.

Mr. Kerry, a Massachusetts senator, led in New Hampshire polls earlier this year, including a 26 percent to 13 percent advantage in February. The two candidates essentially were tied in a poll by Zogby in June.

The August survey comes as Mr. Dean has shown political strength in his fund raising, drawn large crowds for his “Sleepless Summer” tour and appeared in television ads in New Hampshire, which is slated to hold its primary Jan. 27.

Pollster John Zogby said Mr. Dean’s support was in all regions of the state, among men and women, Democrats and independents, liberals and centrists. Mr. Dean took support from Rep. Richard A. Gephardt of Missouri and from undecided voters.

Mr. Gephardt, who was at 11 percent in February, dropped to 6 percent. Undecided voters fell from 29 percent to 23 percent.

“His support is really across the board,” Mr. Zogby said of Mr. Dean, the former Vermont governor.

The rest of the Democratic field was in single digits. Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut was at 6 percent, and Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina was at 4 percent. Mr. Edwards also is airing ads in New Hampshire.

Retired Army Gen. Wesley Clark, who is considering a presidential bid, was at 2 percent, while Sen. Bob Graham of Florida and Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich of Ohio were at 1 percent. Former Sen. Carol Moseley Braun and the Rev. Al Sharpton were at 0 percent.

Almost two-thirds of those in the poll, 64 percent, said they think it is likely that President Bush will be re-elected in 2004, the Associated Press reports.

The poll of 501 likely primary voters has an error margin of plus or minus 5 percentage points.

Hot and hip

Democrat Howard Dean is the hot and hip presidential candidate of the summer, Reuters reports.

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