IA POLL: Obama Expands Lead in Hawkeye State. Obama 45 (+1), McCain 38 (-4)

Iowa: Obama Expands Lead in Hawkeye State
Thursday, June 12, 2008

Barack Obama, enjoying a bounce in national polling since clinching the Democratic Presidential Nomination, is also expanding his lead in Iowa.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey in the Hawkeye State finds Obama leading John McCain 45% to 38%. This is the fourth Rasmussen poll in the state and Obama had a two to four point edge in each of the earlier polls. A month ago, Obama was up by just two percentage points.

In all four Iowa polls, Obama’s support has stayed in a narrow range from 44% to 46%. The current poll reflects McCain’s lowest level of support in the state.

Nationally, in the week since wrapping up the nomination, Obama has opened a solid, single-digit lead over McCain in the Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll.

The most recent survey also found that Iowa Democrats still haven’t warmed up to Hillary Clinton since handing her a major defeat in the state caucuses five months ago. Just 35% of the state Democrats believe Obama should select her as his Vice Presidential running mate, a lower total than has been found in any state polling to date. Nationally, 51% of Democrats think Clinton should be tapped for the number two slot.

Obama has expanded his lead based primarily on more support from women. He leads now by nineteen points among women, up from an eight point advantage last month. McCain has a seven-point advantage among men. Obama is supported by 77% of Democrats and leads McCain 44% to 29% among unaffiliated voters. McCain has lost nine points among unaffiliated voters over the past month but is supported by 82% of Republicans.

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/iowa/election_2008_iowa_presidential_election