2008 US Presidential Election.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone poll shows that former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R) continues to hold an eight-point lead over Senator John McCain (news, bio, voting record) (R) in the race for the Republican nomination. Giuliani now earns 30% of the vote, up from 28% a week ago. John McCain (R) has support from 22% while former House Speaker Newt Gingrich remains in third at 12%.

Former Massachusetts Mitt Romney is back in double digits at 10%. Another former Governor Mike Huckabee registers just 2% as does Senator Sam Brownback (news, bio, voting record). Senator Chuck Hagel (news, bio, voting record) registers support from 1% of GOP voters.

While McCain continues to hold a solid second place in this polling, a separate survey shows he has lost ground in general election match-ups. In fact, for the first time in any Rasmussen Reports polling, McCain has fallen behind a Democratic competitor, trailing both Illinois Senator Barack Obama (news, bio, voting record) and former North Carolina Senator John Edwards. McCain may be hampered by the situation in Iraq (considered the most important issue by voters). Most Americans believe we should be reducing the number of U.S. troops fighting in that country while McCain supports the President’s call for more troops.

Yahoo! News

Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback (news, bio, voting record) formally kicked off his bid for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination Saturday at a rally in Topeka by advocating what he calls a compassionate brand of conservatism.

This is hardly a new notion, as George W. Bush labeled himself a “compassionate conservative” during his 2000 campaign for a first term in the White House. But Brownback, a social conservative who opposes abortion, embryonic stem cell research and assisted suicide, made it clear that his view of compassion extends to these issues.

“Something most people feel deeply in their hearts is the need for a culture of life — a culture that doesn’t allow the strong to exploit the weak — a culture of compassion instead of a culture of convenience,” Brownback said. “Life is beautiful. We all know this. Let’s start following our hearts and work to protect all innocent human life.”

Yahoo! News

TOPEKA, Kan. - Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback (news, bio, voting record) jumped into the 2008 presidential race Saturday, a favorite of the religious right now in an uphill battle against better known rivals for the GOP nomination.
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“I am a conservative and I’m proud of being a conservative,” he proclaimed.

“My family and I are taking the first steps on the yellow brick road to the White House. It’s a great journey,” the two-term senator told hundreds of supporters. He pledged to fight on behalf of the nation’s cultural values and to focus on rebuilding families.

The 50-year-old Brownback offers himself as a “full-scale Ronald Reagan conservative.”

After Saturday’s speech, he told reporters: “My positions are at the heart of where the Republican Party is. I’m willing to take those positions with all comers.”

Brownback’s announcement, planned weeks ago, came hours after Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., entered her party’s 2008 race with a posting on her Web site with little prior notice.

“I don’t know why she did that. I guess she’s scared of me,” Brownback said.

Yahoo! News