New Poll In Ohio: Clinton, McCain Have Leads In Bellwether State

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- The poll was taken before Rudy Giuliani and John Edwards quit the presidential contest last week -- so that means the numbers are somewhat squishy. But it did put Hillary Clinton at 44% among Ohio Democrats, and John McCain at 39% among the state's Republicans. On the Dem side -- with neither Clinton nor Obama likely to deliver a Super Tuesday knockout -- the numbers indicate the New York senator could bring her campaign to Ohio Wednesday with a head start. The Cincinnati Business Courier published the poll results online today. There was not a great deal of detail from Opinion Consultants, a Columbus-based research firm that conducted the poll.

The Bellwether put in a call to Opinion Consultants, but a message machine answered. According to the Business Courier:

"In the ongoing presidential primary races, 44% of surveyed Ohio Democrats preferred Clinton, trailed by Barack Obama with 28% support and former Sen. John Edwards, who has since dropped out of the race, with 17%. Surveyed Republicans threw support behind McCain, who took 39% of the vote. McCain, now considered the frontrunner for the Republican nomination, was trailed by former Gov. Mitt romey with 23%, former Gov. Mike Huckabee with 18% and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani with 12%. Giuliani also dropped out of the race after the poll was conducted."

As an aside, Romney raised more money in Ohio, $275,000, in the 4th quarter than Clinton and Obama together, $228,000. And he raked in more than three times McCain's $87,000.