Bush lead over Kerry narrows in new polls
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-10-05 09:31

President George W. Bush's lead over Democratic challenger Sen. John Kerry has narrowed since their debate with four polls released on Monday showing the race tied or slightly favoring the incumbent.

 The polls, together with a Newsweek poll released on Saturday, indicated Bush took a hit in Thursday's debate which focused on foreign policy and national security and, according to Nielsen ratings, drew an audience of at least 62.5 million.

 A USA Today/CNN/Gallup poll of likely voters taken over the weekend found Bush's eight-point lead over Kerry in a Sept. 26 poll had evaporated and both candidates would get 49 percent of the vote if the election were held today. The margin of error was plus or minus 4 percentage points.

 A Zogby poll of likely voters also reflected the tight race between the two candidates. In a survey, 46 percent said they would vote for Bush and 45 percent for Kerry.

Bush's lead was down slightly from two weeks earlier when he was ahead by 3 points, 47 percent to 44 percent. The margin of error was plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.

 A CBS News poll of likely voters found Bush and Kerry tied on 47 percent support each after their first debate. The poll showed Kerry had eliminated a nine-point lead that Bush held in a similar survey conducted in the week before the debate. The margin of error was plus or minus four percentage points.

 Polls released by Pew Research and ABC News-ABC/Washington Post showed Bush maintained a lead but had lost ground to Kerry since the debate.

 A Pew Research survey of registered voters showed Bush leading 48 percent to 41 percent. A similar poll from Sept. 22 to Sept. 26 showed Bush at 48 percent and Kerry at 40 percent.

 However, among likely voters, Bush's lead narrowed to 5 percent with 49 percent supporting the president and 44 percent backing Kerry. The margin of error was plus or minus 3.5 percentage points for registered voters and plus or minus 4 percent for likely voters.

 In an ABC News/Washington Post survey of likely voters, 47 percent expressed a favorable opinion of Kerry, up eight points from before the debate, compared to 53 percent for Bush. The poll, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percent, showed Bush's lead had narrowed from a week ago when he had 53 percent.

 Newsweek reported on Saturday that according to its polling, in a two-way contest the Kerry/Edwards ticket was leading by 49 percent against 46 percent for Bush/Cheney.



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