Tennessee poll shows Bush, Kerry in virtual tie
MATT GOURAS, Associated Press Writer
Wednesday, March 10, 2004
©2004 Associated Press
URL: sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2004/03/10/politics1047EST0574.DTL
(03-10) 07:47 PST NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) --
President Bush and Democratic challenger John Kerry are in a virtual dead heat in Tennessee as support for the war in Iraq wanes and worries about the economy increase, according to a poll.
Bush had the support of 48 percent and Kerry, the four-term Massachusetts senator and presumptive nominee, 44 percent, which was within the survey's margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points. In 2000, Bush won Tennessee, defeating Democrat Al Gore in his home state.
The Middle Tennessee State University poll was conducted Feb. 16-28 and surveyed 701 voting-age state residents.
Among respondents, 47 percent said going to war against Iraq was worthwhile while 48 percent said it was not. In a survey last fall by the same researchers, 54 percent of respondents thought the war was worthwhile.
Worries about the economy edge out terrorism as the biggest problem, respondents said. The poll found 19 percent said they are dissatisfied with the economy, while terrorism was cited as the chief concern by 15 percent.
The pollsters said 63 percent of respondents were dissatisfied with the direction of the country.
©2004 Associated Press |
