(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Democrat Barack Obama is holding on to the lead in the United States presidential race, according to a poll by RT Strategies for the Cook Political Report. 44 per cent of respondents would support the Illinois senator this year, while 40 per cent would vote for Republican Arizona senator John McCain.

Support for Obama remained stable since late May, while backing for McCain fell by three points. 15 per cent of respondents are undecided, up five points in a month.

On Jun. 16, former U.S. vice-president Al Gore endorsed Obama, saying, "After eight years of the worst, most serious foreign policy mistakes in the entire history of our nation, we need change. We’ve got to have new leadership (...) not only a new head of state but new vision for America’s future."

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

I know the election in November is a long way off, but if Barack Obama were the Democratic Party’s candidate and Arizona senator John McCain were the Republican Party’s candidate, who would you vote for? (Leaners included)

Source: RT Strategies / Cook Political Report
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 880 registered American voters, conducted from Jun. 12 to Jun. 15, 2008. Margin of error is 3.3 per cent.

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