The first Rasmussen Reports telephone survey gauging general-election support for Republican Senator Sam Brownback shows him trailing Democratic Senator Hillary Clinton among likely voters by the narrow margin of just five percentage points. It’s Clinton 46% Brownback 41%.

However, Democratic Senator Barack Obama leads Senator Brownback by the much wider margin of 49% to 34%.Clinton and Obama lead the polls for Democrats seeking their party’s 2008 Presidential nomination. While Clinton has been ahead in every Rasmussen Reports poll for the Democratic nomination, Obama and former North Carolina Senator John Edwards generally do better in general election match-ups (see summary of all match-ups).

Brownback, who announced his presidential candidacy on January 20 as a staunch religious conservative, is in the second tier of GOP Presidential hopefuls.

Both Clinton and Obama have high name recognition, but Clinton is saddled with higher unfavorables. Forty-eight percent (48%) view her unfavorably, 34% "very unfavorably." Throughout 2005 and 2006, our Hillary Meter indicated that a plurality of likely voters would not vote for the former First Lady no matter who she might run against.

Obama is viewed unfavorably by 37%. Only 14% dislike him strongly.

Brownback is an unknown to 43%, and viewed favorably by only 19%. Just a couple weeks after his announcement, the percentage who view him favorably isn't any larger even among Republicans.

That may change as Senator Brownback becomes better known. But the enthusiasm especially for Giuliani among Republicans persists despite the mayor's willingness to openly acknowledge disagreements with social conservatives on abortion and other hot-button issues.

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