There's a reason that Andrew Kohut made GQ's list of the 50 most powerful people in Washington; when Pew data comes in, people pay attention. And today, the Pew Center released some of the most powerful polling data yet in this campaign.

Sen. Clinton holds a 51%-43% advantage over Giuliani in a general election ballot test among all registered voters.

Much ado has been made about Clinton's strong negatives going into a potential general election match-up, but in this poll, +- 3 points, Clinton even leads in the South.

The extent to which these numbers will hold steady is a gamble; Pew's researchers even admit the opportunity for fluidity, as Politico's Kuhn reports. Nonetheless the numbers do not disprove the notion that a Clinton candidacy–if the election were held today–would win the contest, or the other figures the survey shows (33% of Americans believe it would be “a good thing” for a female to hold the presidency; since 2004, voters’ have become more concerned about the issue of energy).

We are 64 days before the Iowa caucuses, but more than a year away from the general. As the adage goes, a lot can happen before next November. Pew's director may have only made it to number 50 on the “most powerful” list. Careful readers should note: HRC was eighth.