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Obama Has GOP Crossover Appeal

Dem came in third in recent poll of Iowa Republicans

By Jonas Oransky,  Newser Staff

Posted Aug 24, 2007 6:28 PM CDT

(Newser) – Here's one race where Barack isn't trailing Hillary: the one for GOP defectors. In a recent poll, Iowa Republicans chose the freshman senator as their third-favored presidential candidate (after Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani), Salon reports. And in recent GOP focus groups, Obama’s crossover appeal was more than twice that of any of his Dem rivals.

"Hillary and Edwards have no crossover voters," a GOP consultant tells Salon. Obama’s campaign is responding to the trend, featuring a Republican state lawmaker in its first Iowa ads. But if his crossover appeal might work some magic in the general election, it's not necessarily enough to get him the nomination. Dems still think the Hillary has a better shot.

Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama D-Ill., speaks at a campaign event at the fairgrounds in Atlanic, Iowa in Aug. 16, 2007 file photo. Obama has perhaps the largest field operation in Iowa, with 29 offices across the state and more scheduled to open soon. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green, File)
Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama D-Ill., speaks at a campaign event at the fairgrounds in Atlanic, Iowa in Aug. 16, 2007 file photo. Obama has perhaps the largest field operation in Iowa,...   (Associated Press)
Democratic presidential hopeful, U.S. Sen Barack Obama, D-Ill., gestures while speaking to an audience Wednesday, Aug. 22, 2007  in the Brooklyn borough of New York.  (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Democratic presidential hopeful, U.S. Sen Barack Obama, D-Ill., gestures while speaking to an audience Wednesday, Aug. 22, 2007 in the Brooklyn borough of New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)   (Associated Press)
Democratic presidential hopeful, U.S. Sen Barack Obama, D-Ill., makes an appearance on Comedy Central's The Daily Show With Jon Stewart Wednesday, Aug. 22, 2007, in New York.  (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow)
Democratic presidential hopeful, U.S. Sen Barack Obama, D-Ill., makes an appearance on Comedy Central's "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart" Wednesday, Aug. 22, 2007, in New York. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow)   (Associated Press)
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