New polling released in late August 2004 showed President George W. Bush making inroads against Democratic nominee John Kerry in several states that Al Gore had carried in the 2000 election.
A USA Today/CNN/Gallup survey of likely voters put Bush ahead 48 to 45 percent in Wisconsin and showed a dead heat at 47 percent each in Pennsylvania, a state Gore had taken by five points four years earlier. Nationally, Bush led Kerry 48 to 46 percent among likely voters, while the two were tied at 46 percent among registered voters.
Kerry held leads in all three states when registered voters, a broader category, were measured. He led by six points in Iowa among both likely and registered voters. Independent Ralph Nader registered low single-digit support in each state and nationally. The poll covered 23 to 26 August and carried a margin of error of four to five points.
A separate Florida survey, conducted by The Polling Company and Schroth and Associates among 800 registered voters from 22 to 25 August, found Bush at 48 percent versus Kerry at 46 percent. Because that gap fell within the 3.5-point margin of error, the race remained too close to call. A March survey in the same state had Kerry ahead by five points.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this AFP wire report, first published in August 2004, in its own words.