With five months to go before the U.S. presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama has a narrow lead over Republican John McCain, a new poll said.
Full Poll Results | Video Obama leads McCain by 6 percentage points among U.S. adults registered to vote, the survey conducted by the Center for Opinion Research at Franklin and Marshall College in partnership with Hearst-Argyle Television showed.
The Democrat leads the Republican among registered adults under 55 years of age, blacks and Hispanics.
McCain holds an advantage among those over 55, non-Hispanic whites, people describing themselves as fundamentalist Christians and military veterans, the poll said.
Both candidates fare well among their party faithful, and Obama has an advantage among independents, the survey said. (
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The survey also showed nearly three in four voters (78 percent) believe the country is "off on the wrong track," while nearly half (42 percent) said they are worst off financially this year than last. (
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The economy (38 percent) and the Iraq war (18 percent) were most often mentioned as the issue that will influence presidential vote choices in the fall.
The poll showed Obama leading McCain among registered adults who are primarily concerned with these two issues.
According to the survey, more registered Americans rate the candidates favorably than unfavorably.
The poll shows McCain is not as positively viewed among Republicans as is Obama among Democrats.
Fewer Republicans have a strongly favorable opinion of McCain (23 percent) than Democrats who have a strongly favorable opinion of Obama (45 percent), the survey said. (
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The race for the president is taking place at a time when Americans are focused intently on the economy.
Many Americans mention that economic issues are the greatest problems facing their families.
Two-thirds of respondents named an economic issue (the economy in general - 24 percent, gas and energy prices - 22 percent, and personal finances - 21 percent) as a problem facing their families.
About seven in ten (66 percent) registered adults believed that the problems they are facing can be solved with the help of government.
The poll said many registered Americans have suffered some economic hardships during the previous 12 months. (
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About one in four (24 percent) said they have been without health insurance coverage at some point during the past year, and one in five (21 percent) experienced a reduction in pay.
Survey Results
Presidential Preference By Party Registration:
Presidential Preference By Selected Attitudinal Items:
Candidate Favorability Ratings By Party:
Economic Hardship Over Previous 12 Months:
About The Survey The poll has The sample error for registered adults is plus or minus 2.5 percent.
The poll, conducted between June 16-22, included responses of 1,501 adult residents of the United States who are currently registered to vote.
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