Posted on 10/20/2008 3:02:59 PM PDT by Chet 99
Monday, October 20, 2008 Email a Friend Email to a Friend
As Yogi Berra would say, it’s déjà vu all over again.
John McCain now has a two-point lead on Barack Obama in Ohio, 49% to 47%, in the latest Fox News/Rasmussen Reports telephone survey in the state. A week ago Obama was ahead by two points, his first lead in Ohio since tracking of the race began in February.
The current poll finds McCain with his highest level of support since mid-September. But it’s hard to classify Ohio as anything but a pure toss-up. For four straight weeks, the two candidates have been within two points of each other or closer. During that time, neither man has topped 49% support or fallen below 47%. If the four polls are averaged together, Obama and McCain are within a half-point of each other.
In the new poll, one percent (1%) support independent candidate Ralph Nader and two percent (2%) are undecided.
Ohio, with its 20 Electoral College votes, is a classic swing state. George W. Bush carried it in both 2000 and 2004, but Democrat Bill Clinton won Ohio in the two previous presidential elections.
Both men and women in Ohio are now fairly evenly divided between the two candidates. Obama earns 67% of the vote from non-whites, while McCain has 53% of the white vote.
McCain has the support of 87% of Ohio Republicans and 13% of Democrats. Eighty-four percent (84%) of Democrats and 10% of GOP voters back Obama. Unaffiliated voters favor McCain by four points. Last week at this time, the Democrat had a seven-point edge among unaffiliateds.
In that earlier survey, 77% of voters said they were certain of whom they will vote for, while 23% said there was still a chance they might change their minds. Now 82% say they are certain of their vote.
Of those who’ve made up their minds, 86% support McCain, 84% Obama. Of the 18% who still may change, 14% support McCain at this point, while 16% prefer Obama.
Honestly, based on the conversations I’ve had with black friends of mine, I think race TRUMPS EVERYTHING!
These friends are Christians, and are conservative in most areas of their lives, yet they will vote for the O!
All I hear is “hope and change.”
It is MADDENING!
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