Huge changes in the Republican race, according to a new New York Times/CBS News poll. In October, Rudy Giuliani led, with 29 percent, and Fred Thompson was his closest competitor, at 21 percent. Mike Huckabee was way, way back with four percent. But these are the new numbers:
Giuliani 22
Huckabee 21
Romney 16
McCain 7
Thompson 7
The poll shows Thompson’s and McCain’s support crumbling, with Thompson falling from 21 percent to seven percent, and McCain falling from 18 percent to seven percent.
Among the most conservative GOP voters, Huckabee is solidly ahead in two out of three categories. Among those who call themselves conservatives, he leads Romney 25-17. Among evangalicals, he leads Giuliani 34-15. Among weekly churchgoers, he is tied with Romney, 22-22, with Giuliani at 13 percent.
But the most striking number in all this is that just 23 percent of those surveyed say they have absolutely made up their minds – while 76 percent say it is too early to say for sure which candidate they will support.