L.A. Times Poll-Voters Shift in Favor of Kerry 51 % Bush 44%

[Nicholas_J]

THE TIMES POLL / THE RACE TO THE WHITE HOUSE
Voters Shift in Favor of Kerry
Unhappiness with Bush and the nation's path exceeds doubt about the senator, a survey shows. But in swing states the balance is more tenuous.


THE TIMES POLL / THE RACE TO THE WHITE HOUSE
Voters Shift in Favor of Kerry


By Ronald Brownstein, Times Staff Writer


WASHINGTON — Widespread unease over the country's direction and doubts about President Bush's policies on Iraq and the economy helped propel Sen. John F. Kerry to a solid lead among voters nationwide, according to a new Times poll.

Yet in a measure of the race's tenuous balance, Times polling in three of the most fiercely contested states found that Bush had a clear advantage over Kerry in Missouri and is even with the presumed Democratic rival in Ohio and Wisconsin.

The surveys suggest that attitudes may be coalescing for a contest that pivots on the classic electoral question at times of discontent: Will voters see more risk in stability or change?...


Yet Kerry led Bush by 51% to 44% nationally in a two-way matchup, and by 48% to 42% in a three-way race, with independent Ralph Nader drawing 4%.

http://www.latimes.com/news/custom/timespoll/la-na-poll10jun10,1,1874410.story?coll=la-home-headlines