Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama’s weeklong trip abroad doesn’t have a happy ending. The latest USA Today/Gallup poll gives GOP candidate John McCain a 4 point-edge over Obama among likely voters, 49 percent to 45 percent.
The poll was released Monday, a day after Obama returned to the United States from spending a week holding meetings and giving speeches in Iraq, Afghanistan, Germany and France.
McCain made significant gains since USA Today/Gallup conducted a similar poll among “likely” voters lat month. In the June USA Today/Gallup poll, McCain trailed Obama among likely voters 50 percent to 44 percent. The new 49-45 margin for McCain presents a near poll reversal.
McCain still trails Obama among “registered” voters--a larger pool of people not considered as likely to vote as “likely” voters. McCain did however close this gap by a notable margin. In June, Obama was beating McCain among registered voters by 6 points, 48 percent to 42 percent. Now, Obama only has a three point lead over McCain among registered voters, 47 to 44 percent.
McCain’s 4-point lead among likely voters is within the margin of error. Obama’s three point edge over McCain among registered voters is, too. Both polls, conducted Friday-Sunday, have a 4 point margin of error.
791 likely voters were surveyed and 900 registered voters were surveyed.
This month-to-month poll is different than Gallup’s own “Daily tracking” poll which currently gives Obama a 8 percent lead over McCain, 48 to 40 percent.
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