While the nation is focused on the upcoming Democratic Primary in South Carolina, Hillary Clinton leads Barack Obama by fifteen percentage points in Alabama’s Democratic Presidential Primary.

It’s Clinton 43% Obama 28% and John Edwards a distant third at 16%.

Nationally, Clinton leads Obama in the Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll.

In patterns that have become familiar in the Democratic campaign, Clinton does much better in Alabama among women and white voters while Obama does better among men and African-Americans (see national data).

In Alabama, Clinton leads by nineteen points among women and just seven points among men. She trails among African-Americans by a two-to-one margin but leads 58% to 9% among white voters (Edwards picks up 24% of the white vote).

Among Likely Democratic Primary Voters, Clinton is viewed favorably by 76%, Edwards by 66%, and Obama by 62%.

Eighty-one percent (81%) believe that Clinton would be at least somewhat likely to win the White House if nominated. That figure includes 48% who say that Clinton is Very Likely to win in November.

Sixty-one percent (61%) say Obama is at least somewhat likely to win if nominated. Twenty-nine percent (29%) believe he would be Very Likely to win.

Eighty-nine percent (89%) of Alabama’s Likely Democratic Primary voters say that the economy is a Very Important voting issue. Eighty-six percent (86%) say the same about Health Care. Government ethics and corruption is Very Important to 72% while 65% say the same about Iraq.