NEW YORK, Oct 23 (AFP) - Republican President George W. Bush and his Democratic rival John Kerry are locked in a statistical dead heat less than two weeks from the November 2 presidential election, according to a Newsweek poll out Saturday.
In a three-way contest Bush and Kerry each drew the support of 46 percent of the registered voters polled, with independent Ralph Nader netting two percent, the survey said.
Among likely voters, Bush enjoyed the support of 48 percent while Kerry received the backing of 46 percent and Nader one percent, Newsweek said.
In a hypothetical two-way race, the poll found registered voters backed Bush and Kerry 47-47 percent, with six percent undecided.
But among a more specific sample of likely voters in a two-way race, Bush led Kerry 48 percent to 47 percent, according to the weekly New York newsmagazine.
The poll of 1,008 voters was taken October 21 and 22, and has a margin of error of four points.
Fifty percent of the likely voters surveyed in a Newsweek poll the previous weekend said they would vote for Bush with 45 percent saying they supported Kerry.
10/23/2004 17:57 GMT - AFP