Senator Hillary Clinton and former Mayor Rudy Giuliani remain virtually tied in a hypothetical Election 2008 match-up. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows Clinton with 46% of the vote and Giuliani with 45%.

The two New Yorkers—who recently exchanged barbs over General Petraeus's report to Congress on the Iraq war—have been in a pitched battle for much of the year. While Giuliani led by three percentage points a couple of weeks ago, the two candidates have been just a point or less apart in five of eight polls since April.

The new survey also shows Clinton leading former Senator Fred Thompson 48% to 43%. That's similar to an August 28 poll, taken about a week before Thompson declared his candidacy.

Clinton is the clear Democratic frontrunner while Thompson and Giuliani have been the top two candidates on the GOP side of the aisle.

So far, Thompson's post-announcement bounce in the GOP primary race is not reflected in match-ups with Democrats. A poll taken about the same time as the announcement showed Senator Barack Obama with the same four-point lead over Thompson that he had a couple weeks earlier.

Both Thompson and Giuliani attract support from about 80% of Republicans, about the same percentage Clinton attracts of Democrats.

Thompson is viewed as politically conservative by 48% of Republican voters while Giuliani is seen as moderate or liberal by 68%. There is very little perceived ideological difference between the leading Democrats.

Senator Thompson is viewed favorably by 45%, a five-point increase since September 5. He is now viewed unfavorably by 37%. Despite his Labor Day announcement, 18% still are still Not Sure of him, just 2% fewer than in August.

Mayor Giuliani is now viewed favorably by 50%, unfavorably by 42%.

Senator Clinton is now viewed favorably by 49%, unfavorably by 50%.

More voters view Clinton Very Favorably (23%) than Giuliani (17%); even more view her Very Unfavorably (34% versus 17%).

Rasmussen Reports has recently released polls showing how Clinton matches up against leading Republicans in Virginia, Minnesota, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Ohio, Florida, Arkansas, Wisconsin, Michigan, Oregon, Colorado, New Hampshire, New York and Illinois.

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