Clinton supporters give Obama edge with women voters
BY TODD SPANGLER • FREE PRESS WASHINGTON STAFF • JUNE 11, 2008
WASHINGTON -- Barack Obama is expanding his support among women voters in the wake of Hillary Clinton’s leaving the race for president, a national poll released today says.
Gallup, a polling company which does work for USA Today and other outlets, revealed data showing Obama enjoys a 51%-to-38% edge over presumptive Republican nominee John McCain in surveys taking between last Thursday and Monday of this week. Clinton officially suspended her campaign on Sunday and Obama took the nomination a week ago Tuesday.
In a survey done May 27-June 2, Obama led McCain among registered women voters 48%-43%, Gallup reported. Clinton had led McCain 52%-40% in her final full week as a candidate.
Among men, the latest Gallup Poll showed McCain with a 47%-45% edge over Obama, compared to a 6-point lead (49%-43%) in the previous week.
Overall, Gallup’s daily tracking poll’s three-day rolling average on Tuesday showed Obama with a 48%-41% lead on McCain nationally, up from a 46%-46% tie on June 1.
Said the pollsters: “Obama’s recent gains in the polls have been greatly aided by increased support from female votes. Now that Clinton is no longer campaigning and the focus of voters’ decision-making is a choice between Obama and McCain, female voters may be taking a second look at Obama.
‘Indeed, his current 13-point advantage over McCain is essentially the same advantage that Clinton held over McCain throughout her active candidacy.”
Some other cross-tabulations from the poll show that while Obama’s lead over McCain among unmarried women remained virtually unchanged (57%-31%), he closed the gap significantly among married women. McCain had led among that group 52%-40% in the previous poll; in the most recent one, it is tied 45%-45%.
Obama still trails McCain among married men (53%-39%), with the numbers little changed from the last poll. Among unmarried men, however, he continues to pick up support, now enjoying a 57%-35% margin compared to 54%-39% in the last poll.
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