In the craziness of the race for the Democratic Presidential Nomination, it is possible that one candidate might finish the Primary Season with the most pledged delegates while another could end up with the most popular votes. If that happens, 57% of voters nationwide believe the nomination should go to the candidate with the most votes overall. A Rasmussen Reports telephone survey found that just 26% disagree and say the nomination should go to the candidate with the most pledged delegates.

Among Democratic voters, 59% believe the candidate with the most popular votes deserves the nomination while 25% take the opposite view. Barack Obama will almost certainly wind up with more pledged delegates than Hillary Clinton. However, in what might create a nightmare scenario for Democratic Party leaders, it is also quite possible that Clinton will wind up with more popular votes than Obama.

Still, 45% of Obama voters believe that the nomination should go to the candidate with the most popular votes rather than the candidate with the most pledged delegates. Just 32% of Obama supporters believe the candidate with the most pledged delegates should win.

Clinton voters overwhelmingly believe the winner of the popular vote should get the nomination.

Ultimately, of course, it's all about the Super Delegates. Since neither candidate will win enough pledged delegates to wrap up the nomination, the Superdelegates will determine the Democratic Party nominee in 2008. As part of their decision making process, they will be watching what happens in the Primaries and Caucuses. That’s why upcoming races in Pennsylvania and North Carolina are so important.

Seventy-six percent (76%) of the nation’s Likely Voters know that Barack Obama currently has more pledged delegates than Hillary Clinton. However, voters are evenly divided as to who they think will win the nomination. Forty-one percent (41%) say that Obama will win while 38% pick Clinton.

African-American voters, by a 59% to 12% margin, believe Obama will be the nominee. White voters are evenly divided while voters of other racial and ethnic backgrounds (mostly Hispanic) expect Clinton to win. Younger voters think Obama will win while older voters think Clinton will come back and emerge victorious.

As part of the extremely tight nomination battle, controversy has also erupted over delegates from the states of Michigan and Florida. Democrats in those states would like to have “Do-over” primaries. However, just 32% of voters nationwide agree. Fifty percent (50%) say they should not hold second primaries.

Democrats nationwide are more evenly divided—38% favor second primaries in Michigan and Florida. Forty-four percent (44%) are opposed.

Nationally, Clinton and Obama attract similar levels of support in the Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll.

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