Some will say it’s due to John Edwards, others will say it’s a coincidence, but John Kerry is really hitting his stride in the national polls.
The latest results from Newsweek show Kerry leading Bush in a head-to-head match-up, 51% to 45%. The lead is smaller once a certain former consumer advocate is thrown into the mix (Kerry 47%, Bush 44%, Nader 3%), but in either case, Bush can’t get above 45% support.
Also encouraging from the Newsweek data, Kerry is enjoying strong support among self-identified independents (Kerry 53%, Bush 34%, Nader 6%), while most Americans believe Bush does not, in general, deserve another term in the White House (52% to 43%).
A poll in this week’s issue of Time was just as encouraging. While Bush enjoyed a narrow lead in the magazine’s poll taken last month, Kerry now leads Bush, 49% to 45%. With Edwards on the ticket, Kerry is even closing the gap in the South.
In the June Poll, southern voters opted for Bush over Kerry by a margin of 56% to 35%. In the new poll, southern voters continue to support Bush over Kerry, but by a smaller margin of 48% to 41%.
And finally, a CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll released Monday included even more good news for those of us anxious to see a Kerry presidency. While the same outlet showed a narrow lead for Bush just two weeks ago, Kerry has surged ahead among likely voters — Kerry 50%, Bush 45%, Nader 2%. (If we expand it to registered voters, Kerry’s lead is even bigger — Kerry 50%, Bush 42%, Nader 4%.)
It’s too early to pop the champagne bottles, but this has to be good for a morale boost and should put to rest any questions about whether John Edwards is helping John Kerry’s campaign.