A new Minneapolis Star Tribune poll shows an expansive lead for Barack Obama in Minnesota, a result that appears to shrink the electoral map even smaller still for John McCain.
Some 55 percent of respondents said they support Obama, compared to 37 percent for McCain. The results represent a dramatic departure from the last Star Tribune Minnesota Poll conducted in September, which showed Obama and McCain deadlocked at 45 percent
As in other recent polls, the Illinois Democrat seems to have benefited from the financial crisis. Fifty-eight percent of respondents said the Illinois senator would do a better job handling the economy while only 30 percent said the same of McCain.
The poll, conducted between September 30 and October 2, is based on 1,084 interviews with likely voters.
Republicans questioned the results, which they contend is overly weighted with Democrats.
“These numbers would be accurate if the Star Tribune had done this poll in New York— not in Minnesota,” Glen Bolger, a pollster for Republican Sen. Norm Coleman said.
A portion of the Minnesota poll released yesterday showed a 13-point jump in support in the last month for Democratic comedian-turned-politician Al Franken, who's now taken his first clear lead, 43 percent to 34 percent, against Coleman.
Steven Schier, a political science professor at Carleton College in Minnesota, agreed that the poll seemed to oversample Minnesota Democrats.
“I can’t believe that’s real,” Schier said, predicting that the race will likely end “within five points either way.”
Obama leads McCain in Minnesota by 5 percentage points in the latest RealClearPolitics polling average, which does not include the latest Star-Tribune survey.
The Minnesota poll comes on the heels of news Thursday that the McCain campaign is pulling staff and resources out of Michigan, a reflection of a shrinking electoral map for the GOP ticket.
On Friday, the day after McCain’s camp confirmed it would back out of Michigan, the Obama campaign announced it was expanding its operation in traditionally red Nebraska.
On a conference call Thursday the McCain campaign mapped out its electoral strategy for the remaining thirty days, with a focus on Colorado, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Nevada—and Minnesota.
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Obama takes big lead in new Minn. poll
By ANDY BARR | 10/5/08 2:35 AM EDT
Updated: 10/5/08 2:35 AM EDT
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