While most of the attention in the Democratic Presidential Primary is focused on Ohio and Texas these days, Rhode Island and Vermont will also be voting on March 4. Rhode Island offers a rare bit of good news for the campaign of New York Senator Hillary Clinton. The former First Lady leads Illinois Senator Barack Obama by fifteen percentage points, 53% to 38%.

Clinton leads by twenty-five points among women and by three points among men.

Clinton is viewed favorably by 80% of the Likely Democratic Primary Voters in Rhode Island. Those figures include favorable reviews from 84% of women and 75% of men. Obama earns such positive reviews from 73%. There is no significant gender gap for Obama’s numbers.

Seventy-nine percent (79%) believe that Clinton is at least Somewhat Likely to win the White House if nominated. An identical percentage believe that Obama is at least Somewhat Likely to win.

Forty-eight percent (48%) of Rhode Island’s Primary Voters name the economy as the top issue. Twenty-one percent (21%) say it’s the War in Iraq while 13% name Health Care as the top priority. The voters who consider the War in Iraq as the top issue are evenly divided between Clinton and Obama. Clinton has the edge among other voters.

Clinton currently has a very narrow advantage in Texas and Ohio. Most analysts believe she must win both of those states to have any chance of winning the Democratic Presidential Nomination. Vermont also votes on March 4, but Obama has a wide lead in the state once governed by Howard Dean.

Nationally, Democrats have a slight advantage at the moment in the Electoral College but McCain is competitive with both leading Democrats in the Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll.

An Inside Report by Robert Novak says that some senior Democrats are wondering who will tell Clinton “that she cannot win the presidential nomination and the sooner she leaves the race the more it will improve chances of defeating Sen. John McCain in November? “

Rasmussen Markets data now shows Obama with a % chance to win the Democratic nomination. Expectations for a Clinton victory are at %. Numbers in this paragraph are from a prediction market, not a poll. Using a trading format where traders "buy and sell" candidates, issues, and news features, the Rasmussen Markets harness competitive passions to provide a reliable leading indicator of upcoming events. We invite you to participate in the Rasmussen Markets. It costs nothing to join and add your voice to the collective wisdom of the market.

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