Democratic Senator Joe Biden isn't on the map of the Democratic nomination race. And almost 30% of likely voters nationwide don’t know enough to have an opinion of him. But a new Rasmussen Reports survey shows Biden within two points of the GOP national frontrunner and tied with the Republican leader in New Hampshire.

Former New York City Mayor “leads” Senator Biden 42% to 40% (see crosstabs). Biden’s support may have more to do with opinions of Giuliani than anything else—the 40% support he attracts matches the number saying they would definitely vote against Giuliani if he is on the ballot in 2008.

Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney is tied with Biden at 39%.

That’s the first time Rasmussen Reports has polled the Biden-Romney match-up.

In four previous surveys of the Biden-Giuliani match-up, Biden trailed the front-running Republican by double digits. In January Biden lagged Giuliani by 19 points, when the favorable rating of "America's Mayor" was still skyward. But even in August Biden was 16 points behind, 34% to 50%.

What may have changed is that voters and especially un-affiliated voters are paying more attention to the race and to the criticism borne by all top candidates. In each match-up, more than a tenth of all likely voters say they prefer a third alternative. Around 10% of Republicans and Democrats want Some Other Candidate; twice as many unaffiliated voters do.

To the extent he is allowed to talk and is noticed by political reporters, Biden gets credit for workmanlike performance in the Democratic debates. But he is barely better known now among the electorate than he was a year ago. And fewer voters regard him favorably (31%) than unfavorably (40%).

Giuliani leads national polls in the race for the Republican nomination while Romney leads in the early voting states of Iowa and New Hampshire.

Biden is stuck in the low-to-mid single digits nationally in the race for the Democratic nomination.

Crosstabs and Historical Data available for Premium Members only.