Senator John McCain has grabbed the lead in a new opinion poll over rival Democratic Senator Barack Obama, in the latest sign of accelerating momentum for the Republican as the key phase dawns in their White House battle.
McCain led Obama 47 percent to 46 percent in a nationwide matchup in the new George Washington University Battleground poll published on Wednesday. The Illinois Democrat had led the same poll by 49 percent to 47 percent in May.
The George Washington survey was the latest poll to show an erosion in Obama’s poll numbers, following several weeks of withering attacks by McCain on his national security judgment and celebrity.
It also came days before Obama is expected to unveil his vice presidential pick ahead of the Democratic convention next week, to be followed by McCain’s running mate selection and the Republican convention between Sept. 1 and Sept. 4.
Other polls have also been showing a McCain spurt.
A Los Angeles Times and Bloomberg joint poll out on Tuesday gave Obama a slim lead of 45 percent to 43 percent, within the survey’s three point margin of error. In June he had led by 12 points, though other polls at the time had the race slightly closer.
A Quinnipiac University poll on Tuesday also showed Obama’s national lead over McCain slipping — he led 47 percent to 42 percent, down from a 50 percent to 41 percent lead nationally in the same poll a month ago.
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