Polls Following Second Debate Show President Bush, John Kerry Close 
Email this article
Printer friendly page
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
October 12, 2004
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — Polls following the second presidential debate, which saw President Bush put in a much stronger performance, show the president and Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry in a very tight race.
Nationally, a CNN-USA Today-Gallup poll taken Saturday and Sunday showed Bush, who is pro-life, and Kerry, who backs abortion, in a dead heat with 49 percent backing Kerry and 48 percent supporting Bush.
According to a Reuters/Zogby poll released Tuesday, Kerry gained three points from their last poll to pull even with Bush at 45 percent each.
However, a Washington Post poll from over the weekend shows Bush with a 51-46 percent lead and a CBS News poll released Tuesday shows Bush ahead 48 to 45 percent.
Regardless of which poll voters read, the election remains close and the final debate in Arizona could decide the winner.
Looking at the top battleground states, Bush is making a comeback in his effort to take Pennsylvania out of John Kerry’s column.
After Bush led by 4 percent, Kerry retook the lead by a 4 point margin in a late September. The latest Quinnipiac University poll shows Kerry now leading only by three points among registered voters.
Bush continues to hold on to a decent lead in Florida. A Strategic Vision poll of likely voters shows the president ahead of Kerry by a 49 to 44 percent margin. Other Florida poll show the president ahead.
In other polls in key states, Bush holds a 5 point lead in Ohio, leads by 6 in West Virginia, and by one percent in New Mexico. Kerry leads by four in Michigan, by one point in Wisconsin, and by two percent in Minnesota. The candidates are tied in New Hampshire.
A USA Today/Gallup poll of Colorado voters shows the race there mirrors the national contest, with one poll showing Bush ahead and another showing Kerry in the lead.
