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Obama Has Six-Point Edge on McCain
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Democrat Barack Obama holds the upper hand in a United States presidential contest against Republican John McCain, according to a poll by Harris Interactive. 41 per cent of respondents would vote for the Illinois senator in this year’s ballot, while 35 per cent would back the Arizona senator.
Support for both Obama and McCain increased by two points since March. In a separate match-up, McCain trails New York senator Hillary Rodham Clinton by two points.
On May 1, Rodham Clinton discussed her views on fuel prices, saying, "I believe it would be important to get every member of Congress on record. Do they stand with the hard-pressed Americans who are trying to pay their gas bills at the gas station or do they once again stand with the oil companies? I want to know where people stand and I want them to tell us, are they with us or against us when it comes to taking on the oil companies?"
In American elections, candidates require 270 votes in the Electoral College to win the White House. In November 2004, Republican George W. Bush earned a second term after securing 286 electoral votes from 31 states. Democratic nominee John Kerry received 252 electoral votes from 19 states and the District of Columbia.
Bush is ineligible for a third term in office. The presidential election is scheduled for Nov. 4.
Polling Data
If the national election for the president of the United States were to be held today, for whom would you vote for?
McCain vs. Obama
|
Apr. 2008 |
Mar. 2008 |
|
|
Barack Obama (D) |
41% |
39% |
|
John McCain (R) |
35% |
33% |
|
Neither |
13% |
17% |
|
Not sure |
11% |
12% |
McCain vs. Rodham Clinton
|
Apr. 2008 |
Mar. 2008 |
|
|
Hillary Rodham Clinton (D) |
38% |
37% |
|
John McCain (R) |
36% |
33% |
|
Neither |
15% |
17% |
|
Not sure |
10% |
12% |
Source: Harris Interactive
Methodology: Online interviews with 2,869 American adults, conducted from Apr. 11 to Apr. 21, 2008. No margin of error was provided.