Poll: Race Tightens Up

Obama leads McCain by 5 points, down from 8

By Matt Cantor, Newser Staff

Posted Oct 21, 2008 7:32 AM CDT

Copied

Poll: Race Tightens Up — Florida supporters of Democrat presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill. attend a campaign rally, Monday, Oct. 20, 2008, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Steve Nesius)

The presidential race is tightening, with Barack Obama leading John McCain 51% to 46% among likely voters, down from an 8-point gap, a CNN/Opinion Research Center poll shows. McCain’s boost may be linked to a drop in the number of people who think he’ll continue President Bush’s policies —49% compared with 56% in an Oct. 3-5 poll, reports CNN.

Some 53% of those polled believe Obama is stronger on the financial crisis, compared with 38% for McCain. Obama is seen as better for the middle class, with 63% saying he’s better equipped to help it, almost twice McCain’s 32%. A CNN poll of polls shows the Illinois senator maintaining a 6-point lead in the race, 50% to 44%.
(More Barack Obama stories.)

Report an error