McCain Running Strongly In Some Key Democratic States

From CQ Politics

By CQ Staff
March 31, 2008

Arizona Sen. John McCain is running strongly in three states that have been solidly Democratic in recent presidential elections; a particular surprise is New Jersey where, a month ago, New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton had a double-digit lead, according to a new round of state-by-state general election match-ups.

The series of polls by Rasmussen Reports, which included Michigan and Washington State, also underscored what most other national and state polling has found - high negatives for Clinton as far as favorability ratings. McCain often scores the highest favorability ratings ...

Rasmussen says McCain and the Democrats are in a statistical tie in New Jersey, with McCain leading Clinton 45 percent to 42 percent and Obama by 46 percent to 45 percent, with a 4 point margin of error. ...

McCain is also running a close race with the Democrats in Michigan, according to the Rasmussen survey conducted March 25. He leads Obama 43 percent to 42 percent, and Clinton by 45 percent to 42 percent, with a 4.5 percent margin of error.

McCain is viewed favorably by 55 percent of voters, Obama by 50 percent and Clinton by 47 percent. This is a state the Democrats have carried in the last four elections. It is also one of the two states (the other being Florida) where the controversy continues over the Democratic Party's decision to strip both of their delegates for breaking party rules by moving up the dates of their primaries. ...

And in Washington State, Rasmussen finds McCain is competitive with both Democrats, according to a poll conducted March 27. ... [M]cCain leads Clinton 46 percent to 43 percent. ... The last time a Republican won this state was in the Ronald Reagan landslide of 1984. ...

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