Bush Makes a Push in Democratic Midwest as Election Nears

With four days until election day, polls showed President George W. Bush pressing into Democratic-leaning Midwestern states, while Senator John Kerry worked to hold his own and seek pickups in Republican territory.

Michigan (17 electoral votes) moved most visibly. Zogby International gave Bush a 47-to-45 lead there, and Rasmussen found Kerry's five-point advantage had narrowed to two. In Minnesota (10 electoral votes), Zogby showed Bush ahead 46 to 45, a four-point shift in a day.

Pennsylvania (21 electoral votes) was tightening toward a dead heat. Hawaii's four electors, long assumed safe for Kerry, had become competitive; Democrats sent Al Gore and Kerry's daughter Alexandra to the state, and Vice President Dick Cheney was reportedly headed there too.

Political scientist Eric Davis of Middlebury College told AFP the contest had tightened markedly. A month earlier he had put Bush on track for 300 to 330 electoral votes; he now projected the winner at 270 to 290. A 269-to-269 Electoral College tie remained possible, which would send the decision to the House of Representatives for the first time in 180 years.

Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this AFP wire report, first published in October 2004, in its own words.