THE LATEST: Another new poll shows the presidential race to be close in Minnesota.
Presidential race tightening up in Minnesota
August 20, 2008 at 4:44AM
The poll, conducted last Wednesday and Thursday by SurveyUSA, found that 47 percent of likely voters support Democrat Barack Obama, while 45 percent favor Republican John McCain.
Given the poll's margin of sampling error of 3.8 percentage points, that amounts to a statistical tie. In a previous SurveyUSA poll, taken in mid-June, Obama held a 1-point lead, 47-46.
RACE EVEN CLOSER: Another poll conducted last week, by Rasmussen Reports, found Obama with a 4-point lead, at 49-45, down from a 13-point edge that he held in a Rasmussen poll taken July 22.
McCain campaign officials touted the new results, pointing to the most recent polling average compiled by the Real Clear Politics website, showing an Obama lead of just 2.6 percentage points -- also a statistical tossup.
SENATE RACE: SurveyUSA also conducted a poll on the U.S. Senate race in Minnesota, showing that contest tightening as well. Republican Sen. Norm Coleman leads DFL challenger Al Franken 46 percent to 39 percent in the latest poll.
BOB VON STERNBERG
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