Gore Up In Latest Tracking Poll

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican George W. Bush (news - web sites) and Democrat Al Gore (news - web sites) sprinted frantically toward the finish line of their neck-and-neck presidential race on Monday, as a Reuters/MSNBC tracking poll found last-minute momentum for Gore.

On the eve of Election Day, the tracking poll found the vice president taking a slender two-point lead over Bush, the governor of Texas, 48-46 percent.

Bush had led for the previous 11 straight days. Other surveys found Bush clinging to a small lead in the low single digits. All were within the statistical margin of error.

The key battleground states of Pennsylvania and Washington also trended for Gore. Florida, arguably the most crucial state of all, was still too close to call with Gore two points ahead.

-- Gore gaining momentum (latest@poll.net), November 06, 2000

Answers

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrat Al Gore took a narrow two-percentage- point lead over Republican George W. Bush in Monday's Reuters/MSNBC national tracking poll, meaning the presidential race remained within the margin of error on the eve of Election Day.

Gore, the vice president, led Texas Gov. Bush 48-46 percent on the back of a strong 48 hours of polling. Bush had led, but never by more than five points, for the past 11 days in a row.

Other polls showed Bush with a narrow lead of up to four points, though the Gallup poll suggested movement toward Gore in the past 24 hours. Previous close presidential elections have swung decisively in the final hours of the campaign.

The Reuters/MSNBC national survey of around 1,200 voters likely to take part in Tuesday's election, conducted Saturday through Monday by pollster John Zogby, also found support for Green Party nominee Ralph Nader slipping to 4 percent; Libertarian Party candidate Harry Browne polled 1 percent; Reform Party candidate Pat Buchanan slipped below 1 percent.

The statistical margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points means the race is too close to call.

With the national poll this close, attention is focused on a few battleground states where the election will be decided. Separate Reuters/MSNBC tracking polls of around 600 likely voters in nine key states showed Gore picking up major momentum in Pennsylvania, Missouri and Washington.

Gore now seemed securely ahead in Michigan, Illinois, Pennsylvania and Washington. Bush appeared to have Ohio and was five points ahead in Tennessee. The crucial state of Florida, as well as Missouri and Wisconsin, all remained well within the state tracking poll's margin of error of plus or minus four points.

In total, 153 votes in the Electoral College are up for grabs in those nine states. At the moment according to these polls, Gore would win 99 and Bush would take 43 of those votes. Missouri was a dead heat.

These are the complete state-by-state results for Monday, including the net change over the past 24 hours:

Bush Gore Nader Electoral Votes Net Change Florida 46 48 5 25 Bush +1 Illinois 42 50 8 22 Bush +5 Michigan 44 51 5 18 unchanged Missouri 46 46 6 11 Gore +4 Ohio 50 43 5 21 Gore +2 P'sylvania 42 50 6 23 Gore +6 Tennessee 51 46 3 11 Bush +1 Washington 42 50 7 11 Gore +4 Wisconsin 47 44 7 11 Bush +1

A total of 270 electoral votes are needed to be elected president. Most analysts believe both candidates have definitely secured about 200, leaving some 138 to be fought over that will decide the election.

-- More (more@info.com), November 06, 2000.


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