With less than two months to go until the Iowa caucuses kick off the actual voting in Election 2008, Arizona Senator John McCain finds himself with the smallest level of core opposition among all the major Presidential candidates from both parties. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 33% say they will definitely vote against McCain if he is on the ballot in November 2008. That’s down from 39% a month ago and a peak of 42% in June. These results come on top of a week of good polling news for the man from Arizona.

Thirty-six percent (36%) say they’d vote against both former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee and New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson. The other major candidates in each party have core opposition ranging from 39% to 44% (see trends for all candidates). A slightly larger number, 46%, say they will definitely vote against both Texas Congressman Ron Paul and Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich (see crosstabs).

At the other end of the spectrum, the Rasmussen Reports poll found that Hillary Clinton continues to enjoy the highest level of core support—32% say they will definitely vote for her on Election Day 2008. With the exception of Paul and Kucinich, Clinton also has the highest level of core opposition at 44% (a figure matched only by Barack Obama). On a net basis (core support minus core opposition), Clinton (-12), Giuliani (-13), and McCain (-15) come out on top.

Compared to a month ago, McCain, Romney and Edwards are doing a bit better while Thompson and Obama are doing a bit worse.

Results among voters not affiliated with either major party show that 44% of the unaffiliateds say they would definitely vote against Clinton. That’s the highest level of core opposition among unaffiliated voters encountered by any of the candidates in the survey. Just 25% of unaffiliated voters are committed to voting against McCain.

On a net basis, Giuliani (-13), Richardson (-13) and McCain (-14) have the best numbers among unaffiliated voters. Kucinich (-30), Huckabee (-30), and Clinton (-25) have the weakest showing among this group.

Clinton and Giuliani hold the lead nationally in the race for their party nomination. Clinton also leads all Democrats in New Hampshire, but Romney leads the GOP candidates in that first-in-the-nation Primary.

Rasmussen Reports provides ongoing updates of general election match-ups and other key stats for all Republican and Democratic Presidential candidates.