Poll: Obama, McCain close in 3 swing states

THE NUMBERS

John McCain, 47 percent

Barack Obama, 43 percent

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OF INTEREST:

Obama, a Democrat, had a slight lead in Florida in mid-June. Independents in the state lean toward the Republican McCain by 8 percentage points. McCain also leads by 20 points among whites and by 22 points among white Catholics. Those under age 35 favor Obama by 19 points. McCain has a slight lead with the middle-aged, and a 13-point margin with those 55 and up. As elsewhere Obama gets virtually unanimous support from blacks.

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THE RACE: The presidential race in Ohio

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THE NUMBERS

Barack Obama, 44 percent

John McCain, 43 percent

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OF INTEREST:

The small advantage Obama had in a June poll in Ohio is now gone, and the two rivals are running about evenly. Obama’s 14-percentage-point lead with women is about mirrored by McCain’s advantage with men. Whites back McCain by 11 points, with white men and whites without college degrees supporting the Republican by strong margins. Independents, white Catholics and white women are closely divided between the two.

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THE RACE: The presidential race in Pennsylvania

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THE NUMBERS:

Barack Obama, 49 percent

John McCain, 42 percent

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OF INTEREST:

Obama’s lead in Pennsylvania has shrunk slightly since mid-June, when he led by 12 percentage points. He has a 10-point lead with independents, and enjoys large advantages with women and young voters. McCain leads by 15 points with white Catholics and has a large lead with white men. The two run about evenly with those age 55 and up.

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The Quinnipiac University polls were conducted from Aug. 17-24. They involved telephone interviews with 1,069 likely voters in Florida, with a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points; and 1,234 likely voters in both Ohio and Pennsylvania, with a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 2.8 points for both states.

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COMPLETE RESULTS: www.quinnipiac.edu/polling.xml