Obama Ties Clinton in NH

Barack Obama has erased Hillary Clinton’s lead in New Hampshire, pulling into a tie by persuading voters he is more honest and change-minded, according to a Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg poll. In Iowa, both hopefuls are neck-and-neck with John Edwards—but Clinton could rise if the Bhutto assassination focuses voter concern on national defense, an area where she is perceived as strong.

On the GOP side, John McCain is looking for a Bhutto boost. Seen as strong on foreign policy, McCain still trails Mitt Romney 21% to 34% in New Hampshire and lags in Iowa, where he and Fred Thompson trail by more than 10%. Iowa has become a two-man race between Romney and Mike Huckabee, with Huckabee in front by 37% to 23%, and leading among women, churchgoers, and the discontented. (More Election 2008 stories.)