Democrats battle for 3rd place

CONCORD, N.H. — The big battle in New Hampshire’s Democratic primary today is for third place, because voters appear poised to give Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry and former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean a solid one-two showing.

Wesley Clark, Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina and Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut are in a three-way statistical tie for third place in one of the latest polls for the nation’s first binding primary.

Each of the three is hoping a strong showing here gives them momentum going into the seven primaries and caucuses on Feb. 3. Polls close in most locations at 7 p.m., and the weather — a chilly but snow-free 10-degree day — is not expected to affect turnout.

“The polls are encouraging,” Mr. Lieberman said. “I’ve said I’m going to do better than expected here. My campaign is going to begin in New Hampshire, not end here.”

The Zogby-MSNBC-Reuters tracking poll found Mr. Clark with 13 percent support, Mr. Edwards with 12 percent support and Mr. Lieberman with 9 percent support among the 600 likely primary voters surveyed from Friday through Sunday. The poll, which had a 4.1 percent margin of error, found Mr. Kerry with 31 percent support and Mr. Dean shooting up to 28 percent.

The University of New Hampshire-Fox News three-day tracking poll released yesterday evening showed Mr. Edwards with 13 percent, Mr. Clark with 11 percent and Mr. Lieberman with 7 percent support among the 461 likely primary voters surveyed.

Mr. Kerry, with 36 percent support, led Mr. Dean, who had 25 percent support, in the poll, which had a 4.6 percent margin of error.

Mr. Kerry, speaking to several hundred voters in the gymnasium at Conant High School in Jaffrey, wasn’t taking any supporters for granted.

After delivering his standard speech, which focuses on President Bush while ignoring his rivals for the nomination, Mr. Kerry told those who were still undecided to ask him whatever they needed to know to make up their minds.

“Put me to the test,” Mr. Kerry said. “I want you to look in my heart, my character, and I want you to leave here ready to support me.”

Mr. Kerry last week won the Iowa caucuses, garnering 38 percent of the precinct delegates. That momentum propelled him into first place in the New Hampshire polls, and he is hoping a first-place showing here cements his front-runner status. No candidate since Democrat Edmund Muskie in 1972 has won both Iowa and New Hampshire and not won his party’s nomination.

Both Mr. Kerry and Mr. Dean are fairly well-known to New Hampshire voters — Mr. Kerry is serving his fourth term as senator from Massachusetts and Mr. Dean was governor of Vermont for 11 years.

Mr. Dean, campaigning in Nashua yesterday, said he still is anticipating that New Hampshire voters will give him a win.

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