WASHINGTON (AllPolitics, January 8) -- Republican Texas Gov. George W. Bush and Vice President Al Gore top their respective parties' choices for the 2000 presidential nomination, but either Bush or former Red Cross President Elizabeth Dole could beat the vice president in the general election, according to the latest CNN/TIME Poll.

If the presidential election were held today, Bush would capture 49 percent of the vote to Gore's 46 percent. In a Gore-Dole match up, the wife of 1996 GOP presidential nominee Bob Dole comes out ahead of Gore as well, 48-45 percent.

Both results are within the poll's margin of sampling error of +/- 3 percentage points, though, suggesting the hypothetical races would be close.

Looking forward to the 2000 primaries, Bush leads the GOP pack, with 38 percent of Republicans polled saying he would be their choice. Dole was next, capturing 26 percent, and she was followed by former Vice President Dan Quayle and publisher Steve Forbes.

Among Democrats who were surveyed, 39 percent said they would choose Gore as the party's nominee. His closest possible opponents -- the Rev. Jesse Jackson, House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt and former Sen. Bill Bradley -- all ran neck-and-neck behind Gore.

Also looking ahead to 2000, speculation that first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton might seek a seat in the Senate was met with mixed reaction despite her 70 percent approval rating. Forty-seven percent of people surveyed supported the move, while 49 percent said she should not run.

The survey of 1,067 adult Americans was conducted January 7. Unless otherwise indicated, the questions were asked of all people in the survey. The poll has a margin of sampling error of +/- 3 percentage points.

Thinking ahead to the year 2000, if you were asked to vote for a Democratic nominee for president today, which of the following Democrats would you vote for?

Asked of Democrats only
Sampling error: +/-4% pts

Thinking ahead to the year 2000, if you were asked to vote for a Republican nominee for president today, which of the following Republicans would you vote for?

Asked of Republicans only
Sampling error: +/-5% pts

Suppose the election for president in the year 2000 were being held today, and you had to choose between Vice President Al Gore, the Democrat, and Texas Gov. George W. Bush, the Republican. For whom would you vote, Gore or Bush?

Suppose the election for president in the year 2000 were being held today, and you had to choose between Vice President Al Gore, the Democrat, and former Red Cross President Elizabeth Dole, the Republican. For whom would you vote, Gore or Bush?

Please tell me if you have generally favorable or generally unfavorable impressions of Elizabeth Dole.

Please tell me if you have generally favorable or generally unfavorable impressions of Hillary Clinton.

Thinking about Hillary Rodham Clinton, would you like to see her run for the United States Senate?

If Hillary Rodham Clinton were running for U.S. Senate in your state, would you definitely vote for her, consider voting for her, or not vote for her under any circumstances?

Friday January 8, 1999

• Collectors see little interest in impeachment mementos
• Senate moves forward on impeachment trial
• Poll: Bush, Dole lead Gore in 2000 race
• Alexander explores bid for 2000 GOP nomination
• Tripp seeks donations to legal fund
• New efforts to revive HMO legislation
• A behind-the-scenes look at the senators' meeting
• Andrew Cuomo decides against a N.Y. Senate run
• Democratic senators want all impeachment proceedings to be public
• Text of Senate trial plan resolution
• Clinton touting economic success far from impeachment drama
• Former Lewinsky boyfriend divorcing
• Gore, 48 current senators voted to convict impeached judge over grand jury lies
• Clinton urged to deny spy clemency
• Administration proposes tax relief for steel companies

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