A look at the favorable and unfavorable ratings for leading Presidential contenders provides a good look at a polarized electorate. The top three candidates in each party (as measured by the Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll, all have favorable ratings between 45% and 53%. They all have unfavorable ratings between 40% and 48%. Each has bounced around a bit from week to week but the overall trend towards evenly divided opinions is clear.

The top three Democrats are currently viewed favorably by 50% to 53% of voters. The top three Republicans earn favorable reviews from 45% to 50%. The biggest reason for the gap is that Democrats have a more favorable opinion of their candidates than do Republicans. The three leading Democrats are viewed favorably by 71% to 82% within their own party. The three leading Republicans are viewed favorably by just 60% to 69% of the GOP faithful.

This figures are all consistent with the belief that Democrats are more confident of victory than Republicans.

Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton is the best known candidate and her numbers have been evenly divided all year. She also has more people holding strong opinions of her other than any other candidate.

Republican hopeful Rudy Giuliani began the year as the most popular candidate and at one point more than 70% of Likely Voters had a favorable opinion of him. Those numbers have steadily declined as the campaign has progressed. This week, for the first time all year, Giuliani’s favorables dipped below the 50% mark. Currently, 49% offer a positive assessment of him while 46% say the opposite.

Fred Thompson, who shares frontrunner status with Giuliani, is moving in the opposite direction. Thompson began the year largely unknown. Now, he is viewed favorably by 45% and unfavorably by 40%. When we first polled on him six months ago, the numbers were 36% favorable and 23% unfavorable.

A separate survey shows that all leading candidates have more people committed to voting against them rather than for them.

The partisan numbers has shifted a bit but remained little changed compared to a week ago.

Among Republican voters, Giuliani is now viewed favorably by 69% up a point. Romney picked up five points to 61%. Thompson is viewed favorably by 60% (down four) and McCain by 60% (down three). A Rasmussen Reports analysis shows that the GOP race is getting more fluid as time goes on.

Among Democratic contenders, this week’s polling brought few changes. Hillary Clinton is viewed favorably by 81% of Democrats and unfavorably by 17%. Seventy percent (70%) of Democrats have a favorable opinion of John Edwards while 21% say the opposite. Barack Obama’s numbers are 62% favorable, 30% unfavorable. Democrats see little ideological difference between their leading candidates, but Clinton is viewed as the most electable Democrat. Clinton remains solidly in front of the pack among those seeking the Democratic Presidential nomination.

See a summary of general election match-ups and other key stats for all Republican and Democratic candidates.