In New Hampshire’s Democratic Presidential Primary, Senator Hillary Clinton holds a sixteen point lead over Senator Barack Obama.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Democratic Primary Voters finds Clinton attracting 38% of the vote while Obama earns 22%. Former North Carolina Senator John Edwards is supported by 14%. New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson and Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich each attract 7%. The remaining candidates—Delaware Senator Joe Biden, Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd, and former Alaska Senator Mike Gravel are each preferred by 2% while just 6% are undecided.

Clinton’s current lead is a bit smaller than it was in September, but it’s the fourth straight poll in which Clinton has been ahead by at least 15 percentage points in the first-in-the-nation primary. In all four surveys, Clinton’s support has stayed in a very narrow range from a low of 37% to a high of 40%. Clinton also leads in Iowa, the first caucus state, and in national polling.

As in earlier New Hampshire polls, Clinton benefits from a significant gender gap. She leads Obama by 23-points among women and by just six points among men. Obama does best among younger voters and liberal voters.

Fifty-two percent (52%) of Clinton supporters say they are certain they will vote for her and nothing will change their mind. Only 39% of Obama’s voters are that certain along with 29% of Edwards voters.

Eighty-three percent (83%) of Democratic Primary Voters now have a favorable opinion of Barack Obama. Eighty-one percent (81%) offer a positive assessment of Hillary Clinton while 79% say the same about John Edwards.

Eighty-nine percent (89%) of Likely Democratic Primary Voters want U.S. troops out of Iraq within a year. This is a dramatic difference from Republican Primary Voters in New Hampshire.

Eighty-six percent (86%) of Likely Democratic Primary Voters think a Democrat will be elected President in 2008. On that score, the Democrats are far more optimistic than Republicans.

When it comes to the future of the nation, the Democratic voters are more pessimistic than their GOP counterparts. Just 31% of the Democratic Primary Voters believe the nation’s best days are still in the future while 48% say they are in the past.

The Republican Primary in New Hampshire, like the Republican race generally, is more competitive.

Clinton’s lead in New Hampshire is a bit smaller to her national lead in the Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll.

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