CBS Poll: Giuliani Maintains Strength

According to a new CBS News poll out Monday, Rudy Giuliani retains a significant lead nationally among Republican primary voters in the race to become the party's presidential nominee.

In all, 38 percent of Republican primary voters favor the former New York City mayor, a slight increase from last month. Senator-turned-actor Fred Thompson is next; he's favored by 18 percent of Republican primary voters, a seven-point drop from last month. Thompson has yet to officially announce his candidacy.

The third choice, at 13 percent, is former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who improved five points from one month ago. He was followed by Arizona Sen. John McCain, who came in at 12 percent.

Republican primary voters appear to be growing more content with the Republican candidates for president: 46 percent say they are satisfied with their choices, up from 36 percent a month ago and 30 percent in June. But 49 percent say they are not satisfied.

Giuliani, defying conventional wisdom, continues to show strength among groups not expected to be favorable towards his candidacy. He leads the field among conservatives, those who live in the South and West, evangelical Christians, and voters who think that a candidate's personal life should be a factor in deciding whom to support.

In all, 47 percent of Giuliani supporters say they strongly favor their candidate, while 45 percent say the like him as a choice, with reservations. Only 7 percent choose Giuliani because they dislike the other candidates.

When asked for their second choice among the candidates, 30 percent of Republican primary voters choose McCain, more than any other candidate. Romney is the second choice of 15 percent of primary voters, while just 8 percent say Thompson is their second choice.