
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, August 20, 1993                   TAG: 9308200240
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-4   EDITION: STATE 
SOURCE: BY ROB EURE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

POLL FINDS CLINTON HOLDS EDGE

Despite national media soothsaying about President Clinton's falling popularity following passage of his tax and budget plan, a new poll says Clinton remains about where he was at November's election in potential matchups for re-election.

The poll, conducted by Political/Media Research Inc. last week, shows Clinton easily defeating Senate Minority Leader Robert Dole of Kansas, former HUD Secretary Jack Kemp, former Vice President Dan Quayle and Texas billionaire and 1992 independent challenger Ross Perot.

It also shows Clinton with support hovering around 40 percent in any three-way contest with Perot and one of the Republicans.

The poll mirrors other national polls in showing the president with a 38-percent approval rating, while 35 percent rate his performance as fair and 27 percent call it poor.

It also shows that public opinion on Clinton's economic plan reflects the razor-thin margin by which it passed Congress. Forty-seven percent approve of Clinton's plan, compared to 46 percent who disapprove. Voters remain skeptical about whether the plan will reduce the federal deficit (49 percent said it's actually designed to raise money for new federal programs) or improve the economy (32 percent believe it will help, 26 percent think it will hurt, and 25 percent expect no change).

The Clinton program passed with only one vote to spare in each house of Congress.

Thirty percent of those interviewed in the poll said they would vote now to re-elect Clinton; 32 percent would consider other candidates; and 32 percent say they would vote for someone else.

The poll was conducted among 1,175 registered voters and has a margin of error of 3 percentage points. It was taken by the parent company of Mason-Dixon Political/Media Research and distributed to clients in Virginia and nationally.

Here are the results of head-to-head matchups between Clinton and some current potential challengers:

Clinton 46 - Dole 35.

Clinton 52 - Quayle 30.

Clinton 46 - Perot 32.

Clinton 44 - Kemp 35.

by CNB