Road to the White House: Kerry holds on to slim Pa. lead

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/04298/400874.stm

Less than two weeks before the Nov. 2, election, Sen. John F. Kerry and President Bush were running nearly shoulder to shoulder in the latest Pennsylvania Poll.

The new survey suggested that a close contest for the state's 21 electoral votes had barely shifted since a similar poll conducted just before the first of the three presidential debates. Kerry led Bush by two percentage points, 46 percent to 44 percent, in the survey of 800 likely voters interviewed from Oct. 19 through Oct. 21. The difference between the two was less than the survey's margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points. On the eve of the debates, Kerry held a similar razor-thin lead, with a 45 percent to 44 percent edge over the incumbent.

The poll reflected distinctly polarized views of each candidate. Forty-six percent said that held a favorable view of Bush, but nearly as many, 44 percent, said they held an unfavorable view of the president. Forty-four percent said they had a favorable view of Kerry while 38 percent held an unfavorable view.

Kerry's slim lead rested on strong showings in Philadelphia, and in its once reliably Republican suburbs. Kerry also led in Allegheny County, but the rest of Southwestern Pennsylvania was trending toward Bush, though not as strongly as the center of the state, where the president led by a margin of nearly two-to-one.

[Brucey]

1. Damn, too close...

We need PA.

[Merlin]

2. Kerry & Clinton will pump this up bigtime on Monday.

PA is going Kerry.

[Dogmudgeon]

3. Mason-Dixon Polling and Research?

Another new outfit, with no previous track record, that consistently fudges toward Bush.

Quinnipiac has had the Kerry lead at 5-8% this week. It's the definitive poll for Pennsylvania.

But reporting it accurately would detract from the "horse race" effect the press so craves, wouldn't it?

--bkl

[DemFromMem]

4. Bush at 44% doesn't look to good to me.

My guess is that with 10% still undecided, Kerry will 2/3 or more of them and easily win (assuming this poll is accurate). No way Bush will get more than half of the undecideds which he would need.

[demgrrrll]

5. I think the Mason Dixon Polls are off. I think Kerry can take Pa.

The Big Dog will help. I hope someone is there to take pictures of Bill and post them here.