from independents and disgruntled Republicans.
http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004/primaries/pages/epolls/IA/index.htmlWatch the Kerry town meetings on CSPAN -- I haven't yet see one that didn't include someone standing up and saying "I'm a lifelong Republican and you've won me over"
In Iowa, Kerry gains believers, including some Republicans
The night before, Kerry was tripping over people on the floor of a packed Veterans of Foreign Wars post, and even Republicans were raising their hands and announcing conversions on the spot.
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"I'll be very honest with you," said Shirley Cohen of Hollis, New Hampshire. "I was a Republican. I changed to become independent two months ago. I was very strongly leading toward another candidate. But you've very thoroughly convinced me tonight."
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Other candidates may be talking about religion, but at almost every stop here in Iowa now, Kerry is making believers of large numbers of Democrats and others who say they are unimpressed by Howard Dean, unsure of John Edwards's experience and uninspired by Dick Gephardt.
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After hearing Kerry on Monday night in Muscatine, Iowa, Ray and Sharon Kapteina, who caucused for George W. Bush in 2000, said they were re-registering as independents to caucus for Kerry. "He makes me feel like he's a leader," said Kapteina, 56, a contract analyst.
http://www.iht.com/articles/124980.html
Kerry also leads the pack of Democratic contenders among registered voters as the candidate who would have a better chance of beating President George W. Bush if the election were held today. A Kerry-Bush match-up would have Kerry up by 49 percent to Bush's 46 percent. A Clark and Bush match-up would be a close race, with Bush at 48 percent and Clark at 47 percent. Bush would have an edge over Edwards (49% to 46%). Yet, with a plus or minus margin of error, these match-ups result in a statistical dead heat. And the President would beat Dean (50% to 45%) and Sen. Joe Lieberman (49% to 45%).
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/040124/nysa010a_1.html