There are less than two weeks to go until the race for the Democratic nomination for the 2008 U.S. Presidential election kicks off proper.

The last six polls of Democratic caucus voters in Iowa, all conducted between 13 and 19 December, show Senators Barack Obama and Hilary Clinton neck and neck, with Obama and Clinton leading in three of six polls each. They are both averaging 28.3%, with former Vice Presidential candidate, John Edwards, trailing behind with an average of 23.2%.

The Iowa caucus vote takes place on Thursday 3 January and the winner will be looking to use the momentum built up there to sweep to victory in the other states which vote in quick succession afterwards.

In New Hampshire, taking the averages of the last six polls conducted there of Democratic primary voters in the same period, Clinton is ahead with an average of 34% to Obama’s 27.8%. The New Hampshire primary takes place on Tuesday 8 January and is followed by Michigan (15 January), Nevada (19 January) and South Carolina (29 January). There is no polling data available for Wyoming which votes on 5 January.

Meanwhile, on the trail responding to claims that he lacks experience from the Clinton camp yesterday, Obama pointed to the support he says he has from her husband’s former foreign policy officials.
“Why is the national security adviser of Bill Clinton, the Secretary of the Navy of Bill Clinton, the Assistant Secretary of State for Bill Clinton—why are they all supporting me?” Obama said.
“They apparently believe that my vision of foreign policy is better suited for the 21st century.”