Senator Hillary Clinton continues to hold a huge lead in the New Hampshire Presidential Primary. The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey shows Clinton earning 40% of the vote and opening up a 23-point advantage over Senator Barack Obama. Obama attracts support from 17% of Likely Primary Voters in the state while former Senator John Edwards is at 14% in this poll.

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson moved into double digits for the first time at 11%. He had been at 9% in the previous Rasmussen Reports poll.

Thirty-nine percent (39%) of New Hampshire Primary voters say Clinton is the candidate of change. Twenty-five percent (25%) say that label applies to Obama and 16% see Edwards as the candidate of change. There is a significant gender gap on this point. By a 43% to 23% margin, women see Clinton rather than Obama as the candidate. Men are evenly divided between those candidates

Twenty-four percent (24%) of New Hampshire’s Democratic Primary voters would not want Barack Obama to win the Democratic nomination. Twenty percent (20%) say the same about both Clinton and Edwards. Twenty-nine percent (29%) say any of the those three candidates are acceptable. Once again, a gender gap is visible—28% of men do not want Clinton to win the nomination while only 15% of women hold that view.

Thirty-four percent (34%) of Democratic Primary Voters say that Presidential debates are Very Important in terms of how they will vote in the Primary.

The survey was conducted in partnership with Fox Television Stations, Inc.

This is the third straight Rasmussen Reports poll showing Clinton with a large lead in New Hampshire. Last month, Clinton had a 15-point advantage over Obama. In June, she held a 17-point lead.

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

Clinton’s lead in New Hampshire is similar to her lead in the Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll.

Among New Hampshire Primary Voters, Clinton is viewed favorably by 82% of Likely Primary Voters and unfavorably by 16%.

Obama is viewed favorably by 78% and unfavorably by 20%.

Those figures include 36% with a Very Favorable opinion of Clinton and 31% with a Very Favorable opinion of Obama.

Seventy-eight percent (78%) have a favorable opinion of Edwards while 22% say the opposite. Twenty-eight percent (28%) have a Very Favorable opinion of Edwards.

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