(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Democrat Barack Obama holds a smaller lead over Republican John McCain in the United States, according to a poll by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press. 47 per cent of respondents would back the Illinois senator in this year’s presidential election, while 42 per cent would vote for the Arizona senator.

Support for Obama fell by one point since June, while backing for McCain increased by two points. 11 per cent of respondents would vote for other candidates or are undecided.

On Aug. 2, Obama expressed dissatisfaction with the tactics of the McCain camp, saying, "The one thing we know about the team that John McCain’s assembled—because it’s a carryover from some of the folks that worked on Bush campaigns and some of the Republican campaigns in the past—is that they’re very good at negative campaigns. They’re not so good at governing."

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

Now, suppose the 2008 presidential election were being held today. If you had to choose between (...) and (...), who would you vote for?

Source: Pew Research Center for the People and the Press
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,503 American adults, conducted from Jul. 23 to Jul. 27, 2008. Margin of error is 3 per cent.

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