Aided by the faltering economy, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has the upper hand in the state of Ohio, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll, putting Republican John McCain at a disadvantage in a state considered vital to his chances of winning the White House.
The state’s voters, long suffering from a poor economy and newly battered by the turmoil in the financial, credit and housing markets, give Obama stronger marks on handling the economy, on creating jobs and on tax policy. The Illinois senator also has a big advantage as the candidate more in tune with the economic problems, a significant benefit as more than half of all voters call the economy and jobs the election’s top issue.
Overall, among likely voters in the new poll, 51 percent said they would support Obama and his running mate, Sen. Joe Biden, if the election were held today, while 45 percent said they would back McCain and his vice presidential nominee, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.
About two in 10 voters are “movable,” suggesting the possibility of significant shifts in the weeks ahead.
The poll was conducted by telephone Oct. 3 to 5 among a random sample of 1,010 adults in Ohio. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 3 percentage points.
