Latest poll news

Bush has built a nice lead in Florida, but other battleground states remain close. Here are a few snippets:

Florida

The Florida poll, conducted Sept. 24-27, finds Bush leading Kerry 52% to 43% among likely voters, with Nader at 1%. Among registered voters in that state, Bush has a smaller 49% to 44% lead, with Nader at 2%.

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania, a state Al Gore won by 4 percentage points in 2000, has been one of the key fronts in the 2004 election battle. The latest poll, conducted Sept. 25-28, shows Bush at 49% and Kerry at 46% among likely voters, within the poll’s four-point margin of error. Nader was just recently ordered onto the Pennsylvania ballot and is supported by 1% of likely voters in that state.

Among registered Pennsylvania voters, Kerry has 49% support, Bush 45%, and Nader 3%, underscoring the uncertainty of that race as well as the importance of voter turnout on Election Day.

Ohio

The race in Ohio has tightened when compared with an early September poll conducted just after the Republican convention. The current poll shows 50% of Ohio likely voters supporting Bush, 48% Kerry. If Nader were on the Ohio ballot — something he is hoping to achieve through ongoing legal action — he would poll 1% today, compared with Bush at 49% and Kerry at 47%.

As in Pennsylvania, Kerry does better among the larger group of registered voters in Ohio. Currently, 50% of registered voters there say they would vote for Kerry if the election were held today, compared with 46% who say Bush.

In the meantime, Bush has narrowed the gap in Michigan.

Bush is also gaining on Kerry in Oregon.

Be interesting to see how/if those numbers change after the debate tonight.