linkFOX News Poll: Obama Grabs Nine Point Lead Over McCain
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
By Dana Blanton
Less than two weeks before Election Day, Barack Obama leads John McCain 49 percent to 40 percent among likely voters, according to a FOX News poll released Wednesday.
Obama's advantage comes mainly from independents, and from the fact that more voters identify themselves as Democrats these days and almost all of them back their party's nominee.
Eighty-eight percent of Democrats support Obama, and 83 percent of Republicans back McCain. Independents break 44 percent to 35 percent in Obama's favor.
In addition to independents, white Catholics are another important swing voting group and they support Obama 50 percent to 39 percent. White Catholics have voted for the winner in each of the last four presidential elections.
New voters — people who have registered to vote in the last two years — back Obama by 51 percent to 40 percent.
A FOX News poll published Oct. 10 among registered voters found Obama leading McCain by seven points, 46 percent to 39 percent.
Obama is seen as the candidate who will bring the right kind of change to Washington, and more voters trust him to handle the major economic problems facing the country right now. By a double-digit margin voters think Obama 's tax plan would do more to improve their family's financial situation.