Politics--Reuters: "Gore, Bush Again Deadlocked"
reuters.com
>>>Gore, Bush Again Deadlocked
Last updated: 20 Oct 2000 11:01 GMT (Reuters)
By Carol Giacomo
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrat Al Gore and Republican George Bush are once again deadlocked in the race for the White House, according to the Reuters/MSNBC daily tracking poll released on Friday.
Eighteen days before the Nov. 7 election, the race stands at 44 percent for the vice president and 44 percent for the Texas governor in the poll of 1,207 likely voters conducted on Tuesday through Thursday by pollster John Zogby.
The results, which reflect a one-point gain for Gore from the previous day, remain well within the margin of error of plus or minus three points.
The election "could ultimately come down between who makes the biggest mistake or the last mistake," Zogby said.
Green Party candidate Ralph Nader polled 4 percent, while other third party candidates garnered less than 1 percent each. Seven percent of voters remained undecided.
The results included two days of polling after the third and final presidential debate in St. Louis, where most analysts thought Gore put in a strong performance.
Following the first two debates, Bush came from six percentage points behind and moved narrowly into the lead.
DOUBTS ABOUT ECONOMY
Zogby said he sees evidence in the polling that suggests "there are some serious questions being raised about the economy and about Gore."
He cites a question in which respondents are asked if Gore should be elected because the Clinton-Gore administration has presided over economic prosperity or if he deserves defeat because the administration has lowered the nation's morals with a series of scandals.
"At one point in our tracking ... a solid majority said Gore deserves to be elected because the Clinton-Gore administration has presided over unprecedented economic prosperity," Zogby said.
"It's now only 44 percent to 40 percent who say Gore should be elected," he said.
In addition, Zogby noted that at this late stage in the campaign, many Americans still are not sure for whom they will vote.
In the equally tight race for control of the House of Representatives, Republicans and Democrats are now tied, according to poll results which have been fluctuating only a few percentage points back and forth in favor of one party or the other.
Gore continues to lead among 18-24 year-olds while Bush leads all other age groups, according to the poll.
The vice president continues to hold his lead in the East, while the Texas governor continues to lead in the Midwest. The two are virtually tied in the South and the West.
Gore is favored by voters earning less than $25,000 and Bush by voters earning $50,000 and up. But the two men are tied (Gore, 44 percent; Bush, 45 percent) are tied for support in the $25,000-$50,000 income group.
Since 1972, no president has been elected without winning the backing of this middle group.
Gore still leads among women (45 percent to 42 percent), while Bush maintains his edge with men (47 percent to 43 percent).
Bush leads among parents with children under 17 years of age at home (48 percent to 42 percent), while the two men are virtually tied among voters with no children living at home.
Bush has backing from 82 percent of Republicans while Gore is supported by 78 percent of Democrats. Bush leads among Independents, 44 percent to 38 percent.
Since the daily tracking poll began on Sept. 29, the race has never been outside the survey's statistical margin of error of plus or minus three points.
The contest is shaping up to be the closest race for the presidency since 1960, when Democrat John F. Kennedy edged out Republican Richard Nixon.
The tracking surveys are made up of a rolling daily sample of about 400 likely voters each day to create a three-day sample of about 1,200.
Reuters and MSNBC will release a new poll every day until the election.<<< |
