(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Public support for Democrat Barack Obama fell in the United States, according to a poll by Princeton Survey Research Associates released by Newsweek. 44 per cent of respondents would vote for the Illinois senator in this year’s presidential election, while 41 per cent would vote for Republican Arizona senator John McCain.

15 per cent of respondents are undecided. Support for Obama fell by seven points since mid-June, while backing for McCain increased by five points.

On Jul. 14, Obama voiced support for ending the war in Iraq, saying, "(It) is essential to meeting our broader strategic goals, starting in Afghanistan and Pakistan, where the Taliban is resurgent and al-Qaeda has a safe haven. (...) Iraq is not the central front in the war on terrorism, and it never has been. I would not hold our military, our resources and our foreign policy hostage to a misguided desire to maintain permanent bases in Iraq."

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 presidential election were being held today and you had to choose between Barack Obama, the Democrat, and John McCain, the Republican, who would you be more likely to vote for? (Leaners included)

Source: Princeton Survey Research Associates / Newsweek
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,037 registered American voters, conducted on Jul. 9 and Jul. 10, 2008. Margin of error is 3.6 per cent.

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