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New Zogby Poll Puts Kerry/Edwards Ahead by 7 Points
UTICA, N.Y. -- The latest Zogby poll puts the Democratic Party's presidential ticket seven points ahead of President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney but the so-called Blue and Red states are split just like they were in 2000 -- when the Republicans lost the popular vote but won the election.Since the Democratic National Convention, the party's ticket of John Kerry and North Carolina Sen. John Edwards gained two points over the Republican ticket and now leads nationwide by seven points -- 50% to 43%.But the new Zogby poll also found Bush leads in the so-called Red states -- the states he won in 2000. Overall, the president is favored by 47% of likely votes in the states he carried four years ago, while Kerry is favored by 41%.By comparison, Kerry is favored in the Blue states, those won by former Vice President Al Gore in the 2000 election, by 54% of likely voters compared to 37% for Bush.The telephone poll of 1,011 likely voters was conducted Aug. 12 through Aug. 14, and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1%.President Bush's overall job performance rating moved up three points to 47%, with more than half of respondents continuing to express their disapproval of his administration, the poll found.The majority of respondents -- 51% -- said that the country is headed on the wrong track, while 42% said the United States is on the right track.When asked ifBush "deserves to be re-elected," 43% of likely voters responded positively, while the majority (53%) still said that it is "time for someone new." The good news for the president, said John Zogby, president of the polling company, is Bush "is back to attracting 86% of Republicans, while Kerry gets 79% of the Democrats. However, Kerry leads 49% to 31% among Independents." Nearly one in three (31%) continue to identify jobs and the economy as the top issue facing the country, followed by the war on terrorism (19%); the war in Iraq (14%); health care (8%); and education (4%), according to the poll results."Among the majority who say the country is headed on the wrong track, Kerry leads 84% to 5%, while Bush has the 'right direction' voters 86% to 8%," Zogby said.Kerry leads among all age groups except voters ages 30 to 49, he continued, where the two candidates are pretty much tied. "Catholics give Kerry a 50% to 37% edge. Protestants are for Bush (57% to 33%), especially on the strength of the president's 68% to 20% margin among 'born-again' Protestants," Zogby noted.Bush leads among men 46% to 43%, while Kerry leads among women 50% to 39%, according to the poll."Big city voters favor Kerry 58% to 36%, as do suburban voters 49% to 41%, while small city voters are with Bush 52% to 38%," Zogby said. "Bush leads Kerry among rural voters 42% to 39%."Visit Zogby International at www.zogby.com"