Opinion polls split on outcome of US vote

The results of two new opinion polls out today gave President Bush a decisive lead in one and had both candidates deadlocked …

The results of two new opinion polls out today gave President Bush a decisive lead in one and had both candidates deadlocked in the other.

Democratic Senator John Kerry  pulled into a statistical dead heat with President George W. Bush in the Reuters/Zogby poll.

The latest three-day tracking poll shows Mr Kerry and Mr Bush deadlocked at 45 per cent apiece barely two weeks before the November 2nd election. The president had a 46-44 percent lead over the Massachusetts senator the previous day, and a four-point lead the day before that.

About 7 per cent of likely voters say they are still undecided between the two White House rivals.

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In an earlier poll today, however, President George W. Bush held an eight-point lead over Democratic Party challenger Senator John Kerry.

Mr Bush won 52 per cent support among likely voters in the  USAToday/CNN/Gallup poll while Mr Kerry got 44 per cent backing.

In the previous Gallup poll released last Monday, likely voters gave Mr Kerry a one-point edge over the president, 49 per cent to 48 per cent.

The 52-44 spread is identical to the margin Mr Bush held in a USAToday/CNN/ Gallup poll immediately before the debates, USA Todayreported.

Yesterday, the Washington Postput the president up 50 per cent to 47 per cent, Newsweek's poll of registered voters put Mr Bush on 48 per cent and Mr Kerry on 46 per cent, while a Zogby International tracking poll had Mr Bush up 46 to 44 per cent. The gap in all three polls was within the margin of error.