Poll: Bloomberg Means Good News for Democrats in 2008

A Michael Bloomberg candidacy would help Democrats win the crucial battleground state of Ohio, according to a new poll by Quinnipiac.

In a three-way presidential race, Hillary Clinton would beat Rudy Giuliani in that state, 40 to 35 percent, with 10 percent of the vote going to Bloomberg.

Without Bloomberg in the race, Clinton would only beat Giuliani in Ohio by 44 to 42 percent, well within the poll’s 4.3 percent margin of error.

In another hypothetical three-way match, Barack Obama would beat Fred Thompson in Ohio 44 to 34 percent. Add Bloomberg into that scenario, and Obama wins 38 to 27, with Bloomberg getting 15 percent.

“These results indicate that a Bloomberg candidacy would make it easier for the Democrats to carry Ohio's crucial electoral votes,” said Quinnipiac pollster Peter Brown.

UPDATE: I'm reminded that an earlier Quinnipiac poll showed Bloomberg having a similar effect in New Jersey.