TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Obama-McCain Race A Squeaker In Florida, Poll Says

ADVERTISEMENT

By WILLIAM MARCH

@tampatrib.com

Published: October 8, 2008

TAMPA - A new poll by Mason-Dixon Polling & Research for The Tampa Tribune and other Florida news agencies shows Barack Obama leading John McCain in Florida by 2 points, less than the margin of error and therefore statistically a tie.

Other polls in the past week or so also have shown Obama leading, but with a wider margin, usually 3 to 6 percentage points. One exception, a Florida Chamber of Commerce poll last week, showed McCain narrowly ahead.

The RealClearPolitics Web site, which calculates an average of all political polls by state, showed Obama with an average lead of 3 points after the Mason-Dixon poll came out.

Pollster Brad Coker of Mason-Dixon said his poll may reflect a slightly smaller Obama lead because it includes results from calls made as late as Monday night, and news events in the past few days could have benefitted McCain, such as Sarah Palin's appearances in Clearwater and Estero on Monday, and the McCain campaign's increased attacks on Obama.

Interest in the Mason-Dixon poll is heightened because political insiders consider it one of the more reliable published political polls in Florida and because McCain must win Florida to win the election.

The close poll outcome suggests McCain and Obama will be battling intensely in Florida until Nov. 4.

Reporter William March can be reached at (813) 259-7761.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT