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Obama loses poll lead to McCain
11/04/2008 14:01 - (SA)
Washington - Republican John McCain has erased Barack Obama's 10-point advantage in a head-to-head presidential matchup, leaving him essentially tied with both Democratic candidates, according to a new poll.
In a further boost to McCain, many supporters of Obama and rival Hillary Rodham Clinton are so strongly divided that they say they would rather vote for him if their candidate does not get the Democratic nomination, according to the Associated Press-Ipsos poll released on Thursday.
Between the two Democrats, the poll numbers were unchanged from February, with Obama at 46% and Clinton at 43%.
However, the intense and extended Democratic primary race has turned off some Democrats. About a quarter of Obama supporters say they will vote for McCain if Clinton is the Democratic nominee. About a third of Clinton supporters say they would vote for McCain if it is Obama.
Obama holds a lead in the race for delegates, and Clinton is hoping to revive her campaign with a win in the last major primary on April 22 in Pennsylvania, though it is doubtful she will catch up. Neither candidate will be able to clinch the 2 025 delegates needed to win the nomination without the approval of superdelegates - elected officials and party insiders who also vote at the party's August convention.
McCain is benefiting from a bounce in the polls since he essentially clinched the Republican nomination a month ago. The former Vietnam prisoner of war has slowly moved up in matchups with each of the Democratic candidates, particularly Obama.
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