Seventy-seven percent (77%) of American adults are opposed to making drivers licenses available to people who are in the country illegally. A Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that just 16% take the opposite view and believe that undocumented immigrants should be allowed to get a license.

State surveys in Virginia and Kentucky show similar results.

Eighty-eight percent (88%) of Republicans oppose giving drivers’ licenses to undocumented immigrants. So do 68% of Democrats and 75% of those not affiliated with either major political party. There is little difference along gender, age, or income levels.

New York Governor Elliot Spitzer recently proposed making licenses available to people undocumented immigrants living in New York State. Spitzer’s plan attracted national attention at a Democratic Presidential debate last week when New York Senator Hillary Clinton was asked about the policy and stumbled through an unclear response.

The poll was conducted in partnership with Fox Television Station’s Inc.

Clinton is the frontrunner in the race for the Democratic Presidential nomination. Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd was the only Democratic Presidential candidate to oppose Spitzer’s policy approach at the debate. However, several of Clinton’s opponents challenged her for failing to provide a clear answer. Clinton did indicate support for “comprehensive” immigration reform, a proposal that proved very unpopular with voters when debated in the Senate last June.

Other recent polls on immigration show that 59% of Americans opposed the Dream Act, a proposal that failed in the Senate last month. In California, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed a state version of the Dream Act and 62% of the state’s voters agree with him.

It remains to be seen whether or not Clinton’s debate gaffe will weaken her chances at winning the Democratic Presidential Nomination.

Clinton has become the unifying theme of Election 2008. While it may gall some Republicans to hear it, Clinton’s performance in the Iowa caucuses may have a significant impact in terms of who wins the GOP nomination.

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