Poll: Bush Cuts Gore Lead; Race Dead Heat
September 24, 2000 7:53 am EST
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Texas Gov. George W. Bush has cut Vice President Al Gore's lead in the presidential race to just 2 points, or a statistical dead heat, in a Newsweek survey released on Saturday.
A similar survey last week had Gore leading Bush by 14 points among likely voters. But a poll of 766 likely voters conducted from Wednesday through Friday had the Democratic vice president at 47 percent, the Republican Bush at 45 percent, Green Party nominee Ralph Nader with 3 percent and Reform Party nominee Pat Buchanan with less than 1 percent.
The margin of error for the survey was plus or minus four percentage points, making the Gore-Bush race a dead heat.
"This has been a volatile race all along, and still is. It's clear the campaign is tightening," said a Newsweek spokesperson. "Bush had a good week after Gore's strong post-convention month. It's a fluid race, and our numbers show that."
Among 1,022 registered voters in the same survey, Gore led Bush by 46 percent to 43 percent, with Nader at 3 percent and Buchanan at 1 percent.
Among registered voters, Gore was seen as the candidate best able to handle the economy and jobs, Social Security, education and vouchers, and health care and prescription drugs. Gore was also seen as more intelligent and well-informed.
Bush was seen as better on national defense and taxes, and scored higher on leadership qualities than Gore.
The big rebound for Bush came after a week in which his campaign sharpened its focus on the issues, stepped up its pace and sent the candidate on a series of high-profile television interviews on national shows including "Oprah" and "Live With Regis."
But while the Newsweek survey indicated the new Bush campaign strategy was working, a Chicago Tribune survey of five key states showed Gore with a clear lead over Bush among likely voters in three presidential battleground states worth 58 electoral votes, and a narrow lead in a fourth.
The Tribune poll had Gore leading Bush by a margin of 50 percent to 32 percent in New Jersey, and by 47 percent to 35 percent in both Illinois and Ohio.
Gore's lead over Bush was 43 percent to 38 percent in Pennsylvania. The two candidates were in a statistical dead heat in Michigan, with Gore at 42 percent to Bush's 40 percent, according to the survey conducted Sept. 11-17.
The Tribune polled 703 likely Illinois voters and 500 likely voters in each of the other four states. The margin of error was plus or minus four percentage points.
The five states represent an electoral gold mine for the candidates vying for the 270 electoral college votes needed to win the White House. Combined, the five states are worth 99 electoral votes. Separately, they are worth: New Jersey, 15; Illinois, 22; Ohio, 21; Pennsylvania, 23; and Michigan, 18.
Full Story
September 24, 2000 7:53 am EST
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Texas Gov. George W. Bush has cut Vice President Al Gore's lead in the presidential race to just 2 points, or a statistical dead heat, in a Newsweek survey released on Saturday.
A similar survey last week had Gore leading Bush by 14 points among likely voters. But a poll of 766 likely voters conducted from Wednesday through Friday had the Democratic vice president at 47 percent, the Republican Bush at 45 percent, Green Party nominee Ralph Nader with 3 percent and Reform Party nominee Pat Buchanan with less than 1 percent.
The margin of error for the survey was plus or minus four percentage points, making the Gore-Bush race a dead heat.
"This has been a volatile race all along, and still is. It's clear the campaign is tightening," said a Newsweek spokesperson. "Bush had a good week after Gore's strong post-convention month. It's a fluid race, and our numbers show that."
Among 1,022 registered voters in the same survey, Gore led Bush by 46 percent to 43 percent, with Nader at 3 percent and Buchanan at 1 percent.
Among registered voters, Gore was seen as the candidate best able to handle the economy and jobs, Social Security, education and vouchers, and health care and prescription drugs. Gore was also seen as more intelligent and well-informed.
Bush was seen as better on national defense and taxes, and scored higher on leadership qualities than Gore.
The big rebound for Bush came after a week in which his campaign sharpened its focus on the issues, stepped up its pace and sent the candidate on a series of high-profile television interviews on national shows including "Oprah" and "Live With Regis."
But while the Newsweek survey indicated the new Bush campaign strategy was working, a Chicago Tribune survey of five key states showed Gore with a clear lead over Bush among likely voters in three presidential battleground states worth 58 electoral votes, and a narrow lead in a fourth.
The Tribune poll had Gore leading Bush by a margin of 50 percent to 32 percent in New Jersey, and by 47 percent to 35 percent in both Illinois and Ohio.
Gore's lead over Bush was 43 percent to 38 percent in Pennsylvania. The two candidates were in a statistical dead heat in Michigan, with Gore at 42 percent to Bush's 40 percent, according to the survey conducted Sept. 11-17.
The Tribune polled 703 likely Illinois voters and 500 likely voters in each of the other four states. The margin of error was plus or minus four percentage points.
The five states represent an electoral gold mine for the candidates vying for the 270 electoral college votes needed to win the White House. Combined, the five states are worth 99 electoral votes. Separately, they are worth: New Jersey, 15; Illinois, 22; Ohio, 21; Pennsylvania, 23; and Michigan, 18.
Full Story