Heading Into GOP Convention, President Bush-John Kerry Race Very Tight 
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by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
August 24, 2004
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — It doesn’t get much closer than this. Heading into next week’s Republican convention, President George W. Bush and Democratic nominee John Kerry are close in virtually every key battleground state across the country.
Bush hopes to receive a convention bounce that will put him slightly ahead of Kerry going into the last two months of the presidential race.
Several polling firms, including Zogby International and Survey USA, released numerous polls today in the battleground states, with most showing one candidate with a small lead or the race statistically tied.
The good news for Bush is that he now holds a lead over Kerry in Ohio beyond the margin of error. Bush is ahead 51 to 46 percent in a state he must win to recapture the presidency.
Bush also holds an 8 percent lead in West Virginia, holds a five point margin in Arizona and a four percent lead in Virginia — states he won in 2000.
However, the bad news for the president is that Kerry has pulled even in some states that Bush held in 2000 and must win again to return to the White House.
Bush holds just a one point lead in Arkansas, Kerry leads by two points in Nevada and Tennessee, and the candidates are tied in Missouri and Florida.
Other polls found Kerry with leads in Iowa (52 to 45 percent) Michigan (51 to 45), Minnesota (50 to 45), New Hampshire (51 to 43), Oregon (54 to 43), Pennsylvania (52 to 44), Washington (53 to 44), and Wisconsin 51 to 46).
All of those states went for Gore in 2000 except New Hampshire, but Bush could use a win in a couple of the states to offset any loses in states he held during the last presidential election.
