President Bush, John Kerry Close in Battleground State Polls
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
May 28, 2004
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — If current polls don’t change much between now and November, the 2004 presidential race is shaping up to be as close as the 2000 presidential election battle. Both national polls as well as polling data in key battleground states show either presidential candidate with a small lead, often within the margin of error.
A recent CBS News poll of registered voters has pro-abortion Massachusetts Senator John Kerry with a 49 to 41 point lead over pro-life President George W. Bush.
However, a Washington Post-ABC News poll published on Friday show that, if the presidential election were held now, 45% would vote for Bush, 44% would choose his Democratic rival. About six percent backed independent consumer advocate Ralph Nader, who supports abortion.
In Pennsylvania, a new Quinnipiac University poll shows John Kerry leads President Bush in the state by a narrow 44% to 41% vote.
A poll of Florida voters conducted by Zogby International shows the state that decided the 2000 presidential elections is still locked in a political battle. Some 49 percent of likely voters support Kerry, 48 percent prefer Bush and 1 percent choose independent Ralph Nader, according to the poll, which has a margin of error was 3.4 percentage points.
In Iowa, the new KCCI-TV/Research 2000 poll shows that Senator Kerry has regained his lead in the state over President Bush. The numbers: Kerry-48%, Bush-43%. If Nader is on the ballot, Kerry’s lead shrinks a bit: Kerry-46%, Bush-42%, Nader-3%. Bush lost Iowa by 0.3% in 2000.
In Arizona, Bush still is holding onto his lead. The results of the KAET-TV/Arizona State University poll: Bush-43%, Kerry-38%, Nader-2%. President Bush defeated Al Gore in Arizona by 6 percent in 2000.
Bush also has a narrow lead that falls within the margin of error in Tennessee and West Virginia.
Though Ohio picked Bush over Al Gore four years ago, 50% to 46%, polls show Kerry leading the president. Kerry also currently leads in Wisconsin.
In Arkansas, where President Bush carried the state in 2000, a Zogby International poll shows Bush with a 49.3 to 44.5 percent advantage. Nader garners the support of 1.2 percent of respondents.
According to a new Indianapolis Star/WTHR-TV poll, President Bush — as expected — holds a commanding lead in Indiana. The numbers: Bush-54%, Kerry-33%, Nader-6%. Bush won Indiana by 16% in 2000.
