There’s lots of interesting stuff in this new Quinnipiac poll, particularly this:

Former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani leads New York Sen. Hillary Clinton and other Democrats in the 2008 presidential race in three critical states – Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania, according to Quinnipiac University’s Swing State Poll, three simultaneous surveys of voters in states that have been pivotal in presidential elections since 1964.

But former Vice President Al Gore, who is not yet a candidate, runs better against Republican challengers in most Swing State matchups than Sen. Clinton or Illinois Sen. Barack Obama. …

Grist thanks its sponsors. Become one.

“Mayor Rudolph Giuliani remains the front-runner, but he and the entire Democratic field should wonder if Al Gore will become an inconvenient truth in the 2008 presidential race and go for the biggest Oscar of them all,” said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

“Perhaps absence does make the heart grow fonder. Vice President Gore generally runs best against any of the Republican candidates. Whatever the reason, should Gore get in, he could reshape the race for the Democratic presidential nomination.”

Hm …

Grist thanks its sponsors. Become one.

(h/t: Tapped)