Obama beats McCain in three swing states: poll

[Janett_Reno]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080618...l_080618153230

For the first time, White House hopeful Barack Obama leads his Republican rival John McCain in three of the biggest battlegrounds of November's election, according to a new poll Wednesday.

The surveys by Quinnipiac University also found independent voters are opposed to defeated primary contender Hillary Clinton running as Obama's running mate on the Democratic ticket.

Another poll out Wednesday by Zogby had Obama leading McCain by 47 percent to 42 nationally, with a 22-point lead among all-important independents.

The Quinnipiac polls had Obama besting McCain 52-40 percent in Pennsylvania, 48-42 percent in Ohio, and 47-43 in Florida. All three states are crucial building blocks to an election triumph for either candidate in November.

In all three states, Obama leads McCain among female voters by 10 to 23 percentage points, but among men the two contenders are "too close to call," Quinnipiac University Polling Institute assistant director Peter Brown said.

"Finally getting Senator Hillary Clinton out of the race has been a big boost for Senator Barack Obama," he said.

Clinton beat Obama in the three states' Democratic primaries, although neither campaigned in Florida because of a scheduling row. Obama lagged particularly among working-class voters in Ohio and Pennsylvania.

"Senator Obama is certainly not out of the woods, but these results are a good indication that he enters the summer slightly ahead in the race to be the next president," Brown said.

The Quinnipiac surveys found that while most Democrats back Clinton to join Obama's ticket, clear pluralities of independent voters in all three states were against seeing the former first lady run as his vice president.

"If Senator Obama seriously is thinking about picking Senator Clinton as his running mate, these numbers might cause him to reconsider," Brown said.

"The people who really matter come November -- independent voters -- turn thumbs down on the idea. And, many say they are less likely to vote for him if he puts her on the ticket," he said.

The Quinnipiac polls also suggested that one in five voters see McCain's age as a reason to vote against him. At 72 in January, the Republican would be the oldest president sworn in to a first term.

"But overwhelmingly they don't see Obama's race as a factor at all -- indicating that Americans are either much less concerned with race, or just don't want to tell callers what they really think on the subject," Brown said.

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According to the latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Maine voters, Obama now leads his Republican opponent 55% to 33%.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Virginia voters finds Obama with a statistically insignificant one-percentage point lead over McCain, 45% to 44%.

Wi Obama (D) 52%, McCain (R) 43%

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Alaska voters finds John McCain earning 45% of the vote while Barack Obama attracts 41%.

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What is scarry for Republicans? McCain 72 and alot of Republicans do not support him. Obama, most liberal man in the senate and going to be the president of the usa. McCain is from the state of Az and Obama has a chance of winning Az. McCain does have a lead in Az but the gop has to pour money in to try to hold Obama off. Obama is polling good in Az. Va a Republcain state and Obama is leading but close. Ga is a huge Republican state and Obama has a good shot of winning Ga. It is other swing states Obama is in the lead and close to McCain in many Republican states. This one is going to be hard for Libberman/McCain to pull off. If Obama wins OH, FL and PA, the race is over anyway. FL surprises me because it is alot of seniors and i figured they would back McCain but maybe they see our infrastructure is in bad shape under Republicans, healthcare is not a priority with Republicans, they do not care about global warming as big oil is put first. McCain wants to give big tax breaks to Exon/Mobile and Obama wants to tax big oil and people making 250 thousand and above and give tax breaks for ones under this. I think seniors and all people are listening to Obama speak, comparred to McCain/Bush/Cheney/Libberman and liking Obama better.

It is very early yet but i see this a hard one for McCain to pull off.