Here are our latest updates on Senate races around the country. CQ Politics is changing its rating on the Mississippi race, where Republican Roger Wicker, who was appointed to fill out Trent Lott's term, is seeking re-election from "No Clear Favorite" to "Leans Republican." In the Georgia contest between first term Republican Saxby Chambliss and Democrat Jim Martin, we are changing that rating from "Leans Republican" to "No Clear Favorite."

• Alaska: Begich 58, Stevens 36. (Research 2000)
• Colorado:Udall 53, Schaffer 43. (CNN/Time/Opinion Research)
• Georgia.: Chambliss 47, Martin 46, Buckley 5. (Research 2000); Chambliss 53, Martin 43. (CNN/Time/Opinion Research); Chambliss 48, Merkley 43. (Rasmussen)
• Kentucky: McConnell 51, Lunsford 44. (Rasmussen)
• Michigan: Levin 58, Hoogendyk 36. (Public Policy Polling)
• Minnesota: Franken 45, Coleman 40, Barkley 14. (Public Policy Polling); Franken 41, Coleman 37, Barkley 17. (MPR/Humphrey Institute)
• New Hampshire: Shaheen 53, Sununu 40. (SurveyUSA); Shaheen 52, Sununu 42, Blevens 2. (Research 2000); Shaheen 52, Sununu 44. (Rasmussen)
• New Jersey: Lautenberg 52, Zimmer 37. (SurveyUSA)
• New Mexico: Udall 58, Pearce 39. (Public Policy Polling); Udall 56, Pearce 41. (Rasmussen)
• North Carolina: Hagan 44, Dole 37. (Elon University); Hagan 53, Dole 44. (CNN/Time/Opinion Research)
• Oregon: Merkley 51, Smith 43, Brownlow 4. (Public Policy Polling); Merkley 49, Smith 46. (Rasmussen)
• Virginia: Warner 63, Gilmore 35. (CNN/Time/Opinion Research)
• West Virginia: Rockefeller 58, Wolfe 40. (Public Policy Polling)

Also, to check on our race ratings for all Senate contests, go to our Races to Watch page.

In contrast to a Fox News poll earlier today that saw Barack Obama's lead narrowing, a New York Times/CBS News poll conducted Oct. 25-29 has Obama still ahead by double-digits, leading 52 percent to 41 percent among likely voters with 5 percent undecided. The margin of error is 3 points. This figure includes "leaners" but the Obama's margin is the same without them. The Fox poll put Obama's lead at 3 points, down from 9 the previous week.

The poll says that Obama had reached several "key thresholds": more than half say he is prepared for the job, nearly half believe in his ability to handle an international crisis, most expect him to be able to reach across the aisle and work with Republicans and most say he understands and cares about them. Obama has also benefited from a surge in early voting.

Another big factor is that 59 percent of voters now say that Sarah Palin is not prepared to be Vice President compared to 35 percent who say she is. That is a 16 point swing to the negative since the beginning of the month.

Here are today's updates in our match-ups between John McCain and Barack Obama:

• Arizona: McCain 53, Obama 46. (CNN/Time); McCain 48, Obama 44. (NBC News/Mason-Dixon).
• California: Obama 55, McCain 33. (Field)
• Colorado: Obama 51, McCain 45. (Marist); Obama 48, McCain 44. (Allstate/National Journal)
• Florida: Obama 45, McCain 44. (Allstate/National Journal)
• Indiana: McCain 49, Obama 46. (Rasmussen); Obama 45.9, McCain 45.3 (Indianapolis Star-WTHR)
• Kentucky: McCain 55, Obama 43. (Rasmussen)
• Minnesota: Obama 56, McCain 37. (MPR/Humphrey); Obama Obama 48, McCain 40. (NBC News/Mason-Dixon)
• Montana: McCain 50, Obama 46. (Rasmussen)
• New Hampshire: Obama 53, McCain 40. (Suffolk University)
• New Jersey: Obama 54, McCain 38. (Research 2000)
• New Mexico: Obama 54, McCain 44. (Rasmussen)
• Nevada: Obama 52, McCain 45. (CNN/Time)
• North Carolina: Obama 50, McCain 48. (Rasmussen) Obama 52, McCain 46. (CNN/Time); Obama 47, McCain 43. (Allstate/National Journal)
• Ohio: Obama 51, McCain 47. (CNN/Time); Obama 48, McCain 41. (Allstate/National Journal)
• Pennsylvania: Obama 55, McCain 43. (CNN/Time); Obama 47, McCain 43. (NBC News/Mason-Dixon)
• South Carolina: McCain 53, Obama 42. (NBC/Princeton).
• Texas: McCain 49.3, Obama 38. (University of Texas)
• Virginia: Obama 51, McCain 47. (Marist); Obama 48, McCain 44. (Allstate/National Journal)

Also, check out CQ Politics Presidential election maps which give you four different ways to look at the race, including one that lets you build your own electoral scenario.

Here are our latest updates on Senate races around the country.

• Kentucky: McConnell 47, Lunsford 42. (Mason-Dixon)
• New Jersey: Lautenberg 56, Zimmer 39. (Research 2000)
• North Carolina: Hagan 52, Dole 46. (Rasmussen)
• Texas: Cornyn 41.1, Noriega 32.8. (University of Texas)

Also, to check on our race ratings for all Senate contests, go to our Races to Watch page.

Voters who have seen some of the television commercials from both presidential candidates overwhelming say that John McCain's campaign mostly used its ads to attack Barack Obama while Obama's campaign ads mostly talked about what he stood for, according to a New York Times/CBS News poll conducted Oct. 25-29.

Nine out of 10 registered voters have seen at least some ads and they said, by a 64 percent to 20 percent margin, that they were mainly attacks on Obama. Half the voters said Obama's ad explained his positions while only 30 percent were used to attack McCain. A plurality of Republicans, 45 percent, said most of McCain's ads were negative but 48 percent of them pinned that label on Obama as well.

Sixty-four percent of independent voters viewed McCain's ads as negative while 48 percent said Obama's were positive.

John McCain has narrowed Barack Obama's lead with just days to go before Election Day, with Obama now ahead by 47 percent to 44 percent among likely voters with 2 percent preferring "other" and 6 percent undecided in a Fox News/Opinion Dynamics poll conducted Oct. 28-29. The margin of error is 3 points. Obama had led by 9 points in The Fox poll conducted Oct. 20-21. Obama's margin is the same when measured for all registered voters.

Fox says, "The race has tightened in part because of changes in a couple of important swing voting groups. Independents back Obama by 5 percentage points today, down from a 9-point edge last week. Similarly, among white Catholics, Obama held an 11-point edge over McCain last week and today they split 46-46."

Here are our latest updates on Senate races around the country. The big news is in Alaska where a poll taken a day after Republican Sen. Ted Stevens was convicted on corruption charges showed Democratic challenger Mark Begich opened a significant lead, and most Alaskans said Stevens should resign.

• Alaska: Begich 52, Stevens 44. (Rasmussen)
• Colorado: Udall 48, Schaffer 36. (AP/GfK)
• Iowa: Harkin 57, Reed 41. (Rasmussen)
• Minnesota: Coleman 43, Franken 39, Barkley 14. (Rasmussen)
• Mississippi: Wicker 54, Musgrove 43. (Rasmussen)
• New Hampshire: Shaheen 48, Sununu 40. (WMUR/UNH) Shaheen 47, Sununu 41, Blevens 3. (Ap/GfK)
• North Carolina: Hagan 47, Dole 43, Cole 2. (AP/GfK)
• Virginia: Warner 58, Gilmore 32. (AP/GfK)

Also, to check on our race ratings for all Senate contests, go to our Races to Watch page.

Here are today's updates in our match-ups between John McCain and Barack Obama:

• Alaska: McCain 57, Obama 41. (Rasmussen)
• Arizona: McCain 46, Obama 44. (Cronkite/Eight)
• Colorado: Obama 53, McCain 45. (CNN/Time); Obama 50, McCain 41. (AP/GfK)
• Florida: Obama 51, McCain 47. (CNN/Time); Obama 47, McCain 45. (Quinnipiac); Obama 45, McCain 43. (AP/GfK)
• Georgia: McCain 52, Obama 47. (CNN/Time)
• Indiana: McCain 47, Obama 45. (Howey/Gauge)
• Michigan: Obama 53, McCain 43. (Rasmussen)
• Minnesota: Obama 55, McCain 43. (Rasmussen)
• Missouri: McCain 50, Obama 48. (CNN/Time)
• New Hampshire: Obama 58, McCain 34. (WMUR/UNH)Obama 55, McCain 37. (AP/GfK)
• Nevada: Obama 52, McCain 40. (AP/GfK)
• North Carolina: Obama 48, McCain 46. (AP/GfK)
• Ohio: Obama 46, McCain 43. (Marist); Obama 51, McCain 42. (Quinnipiac); Obama 48, McCain 41. (AP/GfK)
• Pennsylvania: Obama 52, McCain 39. (Marist); Obama 53, McCain 41. (Quinnipiac); Obama 52, McCain 40. (AP/GfK); Obama 51, McCain 39. (Franklin & Marshall)
• Virginia: Obama 53, McCain 44. (CNN/Time); Obama 49, McCain 42. (AP/GfK)
• Washington: Obama 56, McCain 39. (SurveyUSA)

Also, check out CQ Politics Presidential election maps which give you four different ways to look at the race, including one that lets you build your own electoral scenario.

There has been a lot of musings about polls recently ranging from the proliferation of them, what their impact is on the political process and speculation about how accurate they are, especially with the first black candidate for President in the race. So, we thought we'd give you a sampling:

New Republic: How Many Polls Does it Take to Screw Up an Election?

This new, frenetic age of polling has not necessarily led to more empirical certainty. The very instantaneousness of polls threatens to shape perceptions as much as record them. And the deluge of polling data has just given partisans another opportunity to cherry-pick facts and impugn their rivals. In this besieged environment, even pollsters themselves fight bitterly over the best way to measure public opinion and whether some of them have it exactly right--or very, very wrong.

Here are updates from yesterday and today in our match-ups between John McCain and Barack Obama:

• Arizona: McCain 49, Obama 41. (Northern Arizona University)
• Arkansas: McCain 54, Obama 44. (Rasmussen)
• California: Obama 61, McCain 34. (Rasmussen)
• Colorado: Obama 50, McCain 46. (Rasmussen)
• Florida: Obama 50, McCain 43. (Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg); Obama 49, McCain 44. (Suffolk); Obama 47.2, McCain 46.9. (Zogby); Obama 51, McCain 47. (Rasmussen)
• Indiana: McCain 50.2, Obama 44. (Zogby)
• Iowa: Obama 52, McCain 42. (Marist)
• Louisiana: McCain 50.6, Obama 38.3. (Southeastern Louisiana University)
• Mississippi: McCain 53, Obama 45. (Rasmussen)
• Missouri: Obama 48.2, McCain 45.7. (Zogby); Obama 48, McCain 47. (Rasmussen)
• Montana: McCain 48, Obama 44. (NBC/Mason-Dixon)
• Nevada: Obama 48.2, McCain 44. (Zogby)
• New Hampshire: Obama 50, McCain 45. (Marist); Obama 55, McCain 39. (WMUR/UNH); Obama 50, McCain 39. (NBC/Mason-Dixon)
• New Jersey: Obama 53, McCain 38. (Strategic Vision)
• Nevada: Obama 50, McCain 46. (Rasmussen)
• North Carolina: Obama 49, McCain 48, Barr 1. (Public Policy Polling); Obama 49.7, McCain 46.4. (Zogby); McCain 49, Obama 48. (Rasmussen); Obama 47, McCain 47. (NBC/Mason-Dixon)
• Ohio: Obama 49, McCain 40. (Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg); Obama 49.7, McCain 45.1 (Zogby); Obama 49, McCain 45. (Rasmussen); Obama 49, McCain 45. (SurveyUSA)
• Oregon: Obama 57, McCain 38. (SurveyUSA)
• Pennsylvania: Obama 50, McCain 41. (Temple); Obama 53, McCain 46. (Rasmussen)
• Vermont: Obama 57, McCain 36. (Research 2000)
• Virginia: Obama 53, McCain 44. (Washington Post/ABC News); Obama 52, McCain 43. (SurveyUSA); Obama 52, McCain 44.8. (Zogby); Obama 51, McCain 47. (Rasmussen)
• Washington State: Obama 55, McCain 34. (University of Washington)
• Wisconsin: Obama 50, McCain 41. (Strategic Vision)
• West Virginia: McCain 50.3, Obama 40.4. (Zogby)

Also, check out CQ Politics Presidential election maps which give you four different ways to look at the race, including one that lets you build your own electoral scenario.

Here is our latest update on Senate races around the country.

• Louisiana: Landrieu 53.2, Kennedy 33.9. (Southeastern Louisiana University)
• New Jersey: Lautenberg 49, Zimmer 41. (Strategic Vision)

Also, to check on our race ratings for all Senate contests, go to our Races to Watch page.

Barack Obama is leading John McCain 52 percent to 36 percent among registered voters with 3 percent for Ralph Nader, 1 percent for Libertarian Bob Barr and 8 percent for other candidates or undecided, according to a Pew Research Center poll conducted Oct. 23-26. The margin of error is 3 points. Among likely voters, Obama's margin is 53 percent to 38 percent. Pew says this is the fourth straight survey in which the GOP ticket has been edging down.

The poll found several "ominous" signs for McCain: his support is declining across most demographic blocs with the exception of white evangelical Protestants, Obama is running nearly even with him in "red" states that George Bush won in 2004, and Obama holds a 19 point lead among the 15 percent of voters who have already cast a ballot.

Obama also leads when it comes to how "strong" the level of support is among his backers, with 74 percent falling into that category compared to 56 percent for McCain.

Of the 8 percent of voters who are undecided, 29 percent say they might vote either was, 7 percent lean towards Obama, 7 percent lean towards McCain, 8 percent lean towards neither and 49 percent "don't know."

Americans believe by 71 percent to 23 percent that Barack Obama will be elected President next week and that includes a 49 percent to 46 percent plurality of John McCain's supporters, according to a Gallup poll conducted Oct. 23-26.

Here is our latest update on Senate races around the country.

• New Hampshire: Shaheen 49, Sununu 38. (WMUR/UNH)
• North Carolina: Hagan 48, Dole 45, Cole 4. (Public Policy Polling)
• Oregon: Merkley 49, Smith 42, Brownlow 5. (SurveyUSA)
• Virginia: Warner 61, Gilmore 31. (Washington Post/ABC News); Warner 63, Gilmore 32. (SurveyUSA)

Also, to check on our race ratings for all Senate contests, go to our Races to Watch page.

A poll of nearly 25,000 students attending more than 800 colleges in four battleground states finds overwhelming majorities of those registered to vote favoring Barack Obama, according to CBS News, UWIRE and the Chronicle of Higher Education. UWIRE is a news service run by college journalists. The survey was conducted Oct. 6- Oct.19.

Students favored Obama 67 percent to 29 percent in Pennsylvania, 61 percent to 35 percent in Ohio, 62 percent to 34 percent in North Carolina and 66 percent to 29 percent in Colorado. Those enthusiastically supporting Obama number between 51 percent and 61 percent in the four states while those that enthusiastic about McCain number between 29 percent and 34 percent. The percentage of students who say they will dfineitely vote ranges from 82 percent to 91 percent.

As the campaign for President winds down with Barack Obama consistently ahead in the polls, Gallup notes that there have been only 2 instances in 14 elections dating back to 1952 when the candidate ahead in its polling at this point did not go on to win.

One example was the contest between Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan in 1980 where Reagan had been trailing by 8 points, and then turned that around when he betsedCarter during a late-in-the-campaign debate on Oct. 28 (at least, in enough voters' minds), moved into a 3 point lead in the next poll and won the election by 10 points. Not an option available to John McCain.

The other example is the 2000 campaign where George Bush had been leading for most of the last month but Al Gore came back to eke out a 48.4 percent to 47.9 percent victory in the popular vote. But we know how that turned out.

Hubert Humphrey almost did this in 1968 when Richard Nixon's 8 point lead in September shrunk to 1 point just before the election, and the final outcome was decided by less than a percentage point.

Gallup has a neat chart of all the 14 races on its site.

Here are the states we updated yesterday and today in our match-ups between John McCain and Barack Obama:

• Arkansas: McCain 52, Obama 41. (Research 2000)
• Colorado: Obama 52, McCain 40. (Rocky Mountain News/CBS4)
• Iowa: Obama 53, McCain 44. (Rasmussen); Obama 54, McCain 39. (Research 2000)
• Kentucky: McCain 55, Obama 39. (Research 2000)
• New Hampshire: Obama 50, McCain 46. (Rasmussen); Obama 54, McCain 39. (Boston Globe)
• Ohio: Obama 49, McCain 46. (Ohio Newspaper Poll); Obama 51, McCain 44. (Public Policy Polling)
• Pennsylvania: Obama 52, McCain 41. (Muhlenberg)
• South Dakota: McCain 50, Obama 41. (Research 2000)
• Tennessee: McCain 54, Obama 38. (Research 2000)
• Virginia: Obama 52, McCain 43. (Public Policy Polling)
• Wisconsin: Obama 51, McCain 44. (Rasmussen)

Also, check out CQ Politics Presidential election maps which give you four different ways to look at the race, including one that lets you build your own electoral scenario.

Barack Obama is leading John McCain 53 percent to 40 percent with 1 percent preferring some other candidate and 6 percent undecided. in a Newsweek poll conducted Oct. 22-23. The margin of error for all adults is 3.6 percent for registered voters. Obama had led by 11 earlier this month and was tied with McCain in Newsweek's Sept. 10-11 poll. Obama's favorable to unfavorable ratio is 62 percent to 32 percent while McCain's is 50 percent to 44 percent.

The biggest demographic and party identification gaps are Obama's 8 point lead among independents, his 13 point lead among women, his 63 point lead among non-whites, and double-digit leads among voters under 64. McCain's biggest advantage is his 65 percent to 29 percent lead among white evangelicals.

If voters could cast ballots separately for Vice President, Joseph Biden would beat Sarah Palin 54 percent to 37 percent. She is viewed unfavorably by 46 percent of voters and favorably by 44 percent. Twenty-two percent of voters said the choice of Palin as running mate made them "a lot less likely to vote for McCain." They said by 55 percent to 40 percent that she was not qualified to step in as President. Voters say by 57 percent to 35 percent that Palin is not well-informed on foreign policy. And while 70 percent find her personally likeable, voters say by 47 percent to 39 percent that she has mostly made unfair personal attacks on her opponents on the campaign trail. As far as the now-famous $150,000 shopping foray Palin made with the help of RNC money, 68 percent said it did not affect their image of her as a reformer with small town values while 27 percent said it did.

Here is our latest update on Senate races around the country.

• New Hampshire: Shaheen 49, Sununu 36. (Boston Globe.)

Also, to check on our race ratings for all Senate contests, go to our Races to Watch page.

Here are the states we're updating today in our round-up of general election match-ups: between John McCain and Barack Obama:

• Florida: McCain 48, Obama 46. (Strategic Vision)
• Georgia: McCain 51, Obama 46. (Rasmussen); McCain 51, Obama 45. (Strategic Vision)
• Indiana: Obama 49, McCain 45. (SurveyUSA)
• Louisiana: McCain 57, Obama 41. (Rasmussen)
• Michigan: Obama 51, McCain 37. (EPIC-MRA)
• Minnesota: Obama 56, McCain 41. (Rasmussen)
• North Carolina: McCain 50, Obama 48. (Rasmussen); Obama 44,6, McCain 44.2. (Winthrop/ETV)
• Ohio: McCain 48, Obama 45. (Strategic Vision)
• Oregon: Obama 48, McCain 43. (Riley Research)
• Pennsylvania: Obama 50, McCain 43. (Strategic Vision)
• South Carolina: McCain 55.1, Obama 34.9. (Winthrop/ETV)
• Virginia: Obama 44.6, McCain 43.6. (Winthrop/ETV)

• Washington State: Obama 54, McCain 43. (Rasmussen)

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Also, check out CQ Politics Presidential election maps which give you four different ways to look at the race, including one that lets you build your own electoral scenario.

Here are today's updated polls in our round-up of Senate races:

• Georgia: Chambliss 46, Martin 44, Buckley 5. (Strategic Vision)
• Minnesota: Franken 41, Coleman 37, Barkley 17. (Rasmussen)
• Oregon: Merkley 36, Smith 35, Brownlow 4. (Riley Research)

To keep up with our race ratings, you can also go to our Senate Races to Watch page.

Barack Obama is leading John McCain 52 percent to 41 percent with 2 percent for Ralph Nader and 1 percent for Libertarian Bob Barr in a poll of 15 battleground states conducted Oct. 19-21 for National Public Radio. The margin of error is 3.2 points.

Obama leads by 12 points among independents.

"The race has broken open," said Democratic pollster Stan Greenberg who conducted the survey with Republican Glen Bolger. "Some big things have happened that have closed off the campaign that McCain could have run. He's lost independents, now losing them by 12 points. He was the one Republican this year who could have won Independents, and now he's losing them by double digits."

Barack Obama is leading John McCain among likely voters by 52 percent to 39 percent with 5 percent undecided in a New York Times/CBS News poll conducted Oct. 19-22. The margin of error is 3 points. A round-up of the other major national polls, for comparison purposes, is at the bottom of this post. By more than 3-to-1, voters expect Obama to win regardless of who they support.

Voters believe Obama has the temperament and personality to be President by 75 percent to 19 percent, a 10 point gain since mid-October. They say by a 50 percent to 45 percent margin that McCain has those qualities, a 6 point drop for him. Voters are comfortable with Obama by a 62 percent to 34 percent margin compared to 49 percent who are uneasy with McCain and 47 percent who are comfortable with him.

Earlier in the campaign, there were questions about whether Barack Obama could win over the Jewish vote which has been an important part of the Democratic base. Gallup says based on monthly averages of its daily tracking polls that Jewish voters appear increasingly comfortable with his candidacy. In June, he led John McCain among Jewish voters by 62 percent to 31 percent, numbers that have now risen to 74 percent to 22 percent.

There were two big releases of polls today focusing on key states. The Big Ten Battle Ground Poll showed Barack Obama with significant leads over John McCain in eight Midwest states. A Quinnipiac University Swing State Poll showed Obama riding a surge of support based on the belief he would better handle the economy. Quinnipiac said, "With 12 days to go, Sen. McCain is narrowing the gap in Florida, but fading in Ohio and barely denting Sen. Obama's double-digit lead in Pennsylvania."

Also interesting to note that a new poll has Obama moving ahead in Montana, which went Republican in each of the last five elections except in 1992 when Ross Perot's independent candidacy siphoned off votes from the first President Bush. CQ Politics is changing its rating of Montana from "Leans Republican" to "No Clear Favorite." We are also moving Indiana from "Leans Republican" to "No Clear Favorite," Ohio from "No Clear Favorite" back to "Leans Democratic," and North Dakota from "Leans Republican" to "No Clear Favorite."

Here are the states we're updating today in our round-up of general election match-ups: between John McCain and Barack Obama:

• Arkansas: McCain 49, Obama 36. (University of Arkansas)
• California: Obama 56, McCain 33. (PPIC)
• Florida: Obama 49, McCain 44. (Quinnipiac); Obama 49, McCain 42. (St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald)
• Illinois: Obama 61, McCain 32. (Big Ten)
• Indiana: Obama 51, McCain 41. (Big Ten)
• Iowa: Obama 53, McCain 39. (Big Ten)
• Kansas: McCain 53, Obama 41. (SurveyUSA)
• Maine: Obama 56, McCain 35. (Critical Insights)
• Montana; Obama 44.4, McCain 40.2. (Montana State University)
• Ohio: Obama 52, McCain 38. (Quinnipiac); Obama 53, McCain 41. (Big Ten)
• Pennsylvania: Obama 53, McCain 40. (Quinnipiac); Obama 52, McCain 41. (Big Ten); Obama 53, McCain 41. (SurveyUSA)
• Texas: McCain 54, Obama 44. (Rasmussen)
• West Virginia: McCain 49.2, Obama 43.5. (Wesleyan College)
• Wisconsin: Obama 53, McCain 40. (Big Ten).

We'll be updating the longer state summaries below as the day goes on.

Also, check out CQ Politics Presidential election maps which give you four different ways to look at the race, including one that lets you build your own electoral scenario.

Here are today's updated polls in our round-up of Senate races:

• Kansas: Roberts 57, Slattery 55. (SurveyUSA)
• Kentucky: McConnell 47, Lunsford 43. (Lexington Herald Leader)
• Maine: Collins 52, Allen 44. (Critical Insights)
• Texas: Cornyn 55, Noriega 40. (Rasmussen)

To keep up with our race ratings, you can also go to our Senate Races to Watch page.

A new Pew Research Center survey conducted Oct. 16-19 has painted a picture of what kind of role the Internet is playing in this year's campaign.

Fifty-nine percent of voters say they have sought out some kind of election content on the web or have engaged in some kind of online communication about the campaign. While some of the comparisons between use of the Internet now and last December are no doubt skewed by the fact that we're actually in the thick of the election battle, there were big jumps in the numbers of voters watching political videos (from 24 percent to 39 percent), e-mailing about politics (18 percent to 37 percent) and visiting candidate websites (16 percent to 23 percent).

Liberal Democrats have donated money to the campaigns of their choice in greater number than their GOP conservative counterparts, according to a survey by the Pew Research Center conducted Oct. 16-19. Thirty-four percent of liberals said they had given money to any of the presidential candidates during the course of the campaign compared to 13 percent for conservatives. Overall, 19 percent of Democrats say they have donated money compared to 13 percent of all Republicans.

In contrast to most of the other major national surveys this week, an Associated Press-GfK poll has Barack Obama and John McCain statistically tied at 44 percent to 43 percent among likely voters. The margin of error is 3.5 percent. The poll was conducted Oct. 17-20. Obama had a 7 point lead in AP-GfK's previous poll.

(A rundown of the other polls, all of which had Obama ahead by 8 points or more, is at the bottom of this post).

The poll said "the race narrowed after the third debate as GOP-leaning voters drifted home to their party and McCain's 'Joe the plumber' analogy struck a chord." Even that contrasted with others polls that said the "Joe the Plumber" tack had not resonated with voters.

Here are the states we're updating today in our round-up of general election match-ups between John McCain and Barack Obama:

• Alaska: McCain 53, Obama 42. (Ivan Moore)
• Florida: McCain 46, Obama 45. (Mason-Dixon)
• Kentucky: McCain 52, Obama 44. (Rasmussen)
• Maine: Obama 54, 39. (SurveyUSA)
• Nevada: Obama 51, McCain 46. (CNN/Time/Opinion Research)
• North Carolina: Obama 51, McCain 47. (CNN/Time/Opinion Research)
• Ohio: Obama 50, McCain 46. (CNN/Time/Opinion Research)
• Pennsylvania: Obama 53, McCain 41. (Muhlenberg)
• Virginia: Obama 54, McCain 44. (CNN/Time/Opinion Research); Obama 47, McCain 45. (Mason-Dixon)
• West Virginia: McCain 53, Obama 44. (CNN/Time/Opinion Research)
• Wisconsin: Obama 52, McCain 41. (Research 2000); Obama 51, McCain 38. (Wisconsin Public Radio)

Also, check out CQ Politics Presidential election maps which give you four different ways to look at the race, including one that lets you build your own electoral scenario

Here are today's updated polls in our round-up of Senate races:

• Alaska: Begich 46, Stevens 45. (Ivan Moore)
• Kentucky: McConnell 50, Lunsford 43. (Rasmussen)
• Maine: Collins 54, Allen 43. (SurveyUSA)
• Tennessee: Alexander 62, Tuke 34. (Rasmussen)
• Virginia: Warner 61, Gilmore 36. (Rasmussen)

To keep up with our race ratings, you can also go to our Senate Races to Watch page.

Obama is leading McCain 49 percent to 40 percent among likely voters with two percent preferring someone else and 8 percent undecided in a Fox News/Opinion Dynamics poll conducted Oct. 20-21. The margin of error is 3 points.

Other major national polls this week:

• Ipsos/McClatchy: Obama 50, McCain 42.
• Wall Street Journal/NBC News: Obama 53, McCain 42.
• Pew Research Center: Obama 52, McCain 38.
• New York Times/CBS News: Obama 54, McCain 43.

Polls from the Washington Post/ABC News, Harvard University's Institute of Politics and Gallup underline Barack Obama's strength among younger voters.

The Post/ABC poll says Obama leads McCain by 12 points among white voters under 30, a group that John Kerry lost by 10 points in 2004.

The Harvard poll, conducted Sept. 12 - Oct. 6, says voters in the 18-to-24 group favor Obama by 56 percent to 30 percent with 15 percent undecided. Forty percent of these voters said McCain's choice of Sarah Palin as running mate made it less likely that they would vote for the ticket compared to 19 percent for Joseph Biden. Sixty percent said the choice of Biden made no difference to their decision while only 35 percent said that of Palin.

Barack Obama is leading John McCain 50 percent to 42 percent among likely voters with 1 percent for Ralph Nader and 7 percent undecided in an Ipsos/McClatchy poll conducted Oct. 16-20. The margin of error is 3.5 percent.

As yesterday's Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll showed, the poll says "Obama's gained ground among voters across the board, even on issues where McCain still has an advantage and on some where the Republican usually would expect to be ahead." Obama leads McCain by 8 points on one of the favorite Republican themes - family values.

Voters favor Obama on handling jobs and the economy by 16 points and health care by 24 points. They still give McCain a 12 point edge on national security issues but that's down from margins of more than 20 points that he had in early polls. In any event, voters put more importance on the economy than national security by a 3-to-1 margin.

Other major polls from this week:

• Wall Street Journal/NBC News: Obama 53, McCain 42.
• Pew Research Center: Obama 52, McCain 38.
• New York Times/CBS News: Obama 54, McCain 43.

Barack Obama leads John McCain 52 percent to 42 percent among registered voters with 2 percent saying "neither" and 3 percent undecided in a Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll conducted Oct. 17-20. The margin of error is 2.9 percent. The figure includes voters who are leaners to one or the other. Obama's lead the last time this poll was conducted in early October was 5 points. When Ralph Nader and Libertarian Bob Barr are factored in, Obama leads 50 percent to 39 percent with 2 percent for Barr and 3 percent for Nader.

Other major polls from this week:

Pew Research Center: Obama 52, McCain 38

New York Times/CBS News: Obama 54, McCain 43

Fifty-two percent of voters in the Pew Survey said they were excited about backing Obama compared to 26 percent of McCain supporters who felt that way. Thirty-nine percent of McCain supporters said they would vote for him because he was the lesser of two evils. In another stark contrast, 46 percent of McCain supporters said their vote was more for McCain than against Obama while 67 percent of Obama supporters said their support was more for their candidate than against McCain. Twenty-seven percent of McCain supporters said they were motivated mainly by rejecting Obama while only 8 percent of Obama supporters said they had made their choice principally because of opposition to McCain.

Here are the states we're updating today in our round-up of general election match-ups between John McCain and Barack Obama:

• Colorado: Obama 51, McCain 46. (Fox News/Rasmussen)
• Florida: McCain 49, Obama 48. (Fox News/Rasmussen); Obama 48, McCain 47. (Public Policy Polling)
• Illinois: Obama 56, McCain 32. (Chicago Tribune).
• Indiana: Obama 48, McCain 46. (Public Policy Polling)
• Kentucky: McCain 54, Obama 41. (SurveyUSA)
• Missouri: Obama 49, McCain 44. (Fox News/Rasmussen)
• New Jersey: Obama 54, McCain 39. (Monmouth/Gannett); Obama 59, McCain 36. (Quinnipiac)
• North Carolina: Obama 51, McCain 48. (Fox News/Rasmussen); Obama 48, McCain 45. (Civitas).
• Ohio: McCain 49, Obama 47. (Fox News/Rasmussen)
• Oklahoma: McCain 59, Obama 35. (SurveyUSA)
• Pennsylvania: Obama 53, McCain 41. (Muhlenberg)
• Wisconsin: Obama 51, McCain 43. (SurveyUSA)
• Wyoming: McCain 58, Obama 37. (SurveyUSA)

Also, check out CQ Politics Presidential election maps which give you four different ways to look at the race, including one that lets you build your own electoral scenario.

Here are today's updated polls in our round-up of Senate races:

• Kentucky: McConnell 48, Lunsford 48. (SurveyUSA)
• New Jersey: Lautenberg 55, Zimmer 33. (Quinnipiac)
• North Carolina: Hagan 44, Dole 41, Cole 4. (Civitas)

To keep up with our race ratings, you can also go to our Senate Races to Watch page.

Barack Obama is widening his lead over John McCain, now running ahead of him 52 percent to 38 percent among registered voters with 10 percent undecided in a Pew Research Center poll conducted Oct. 16-19. The margin of error is 2 points. That's a 4 point gain from Pew's poll conducted Oct. 9-12. Obama's margin when only likely voters are included is 53 percent to 39 percent.

Pew says a "widespread loss of confidence in McCain appears to be the most significant factor in the race." Forty-one percent of voters see McCain as "having poor judgment" compared to 29 percent for Obama. Thirty-four percent say he is too old to be President, up 11 points from mid-September. Voters view Obama as the more inspiring candidate by 71 percent to 37 percent.

Obama leads McCain by 21 points when voters are asked who can best handle the economy, a gain of 12 points since mid-September. He now leads 48 percent to 42 percent on who can best handle Iraq, after trailing McCain on this issue by 7 points.

Barack Obama's favorability ratings have gone up from where he was before the first presidential debate while John McCain's have gone in the opposite direction, according to a New York Times/CBS News poll conducted Sept. 21-24 and again Oct. 17-19.

Obama's favorable to unfavorable ratio was 43 percent to 26 percent with 25 percent undecided in the first sampling and now stands at 53 percent to 33 percent with 13 percent undecided. McCain's ratio was 36 percent to 35 percent with 25 percent undecided in September but now he is seen unfavorably by 45 percent and favorably by 36 percent with 16 percent undecided.

Twenty-one percent of voters said their opinion of Obama had changed for the better in the last two weeks compared to 14 percent who said it changed for the worse and most attributed their more positive view to his debate performance. Twenty-three percent said their opinion of McCain had changed for the worse compared to 12 percent who said it had improved, and most of those who said it had changed for the worse blamed his attacks on Obama.

Overall, if "leaners" are counted, Obama is leading McCain 54 percent to 43 percent compared to the 6 point margin he had in September.

John McCain has cut some of the gap between himself and Barack Obama on who Americans think better understands the nation's economic problems, but Obama still leads 53 percent to 44 percent with 1 percent either preferring someone else or no one at all, and 2 percent with no opinion in a Washington Post/ABC News poll conducted Oct. 16-19. The margin of error is 2.5 percent. Obama had led McCain by 31 points on the economy issue last week, but the poll says McCain's efforts to focus on the economy at the debate and on the campaign trail have cut that to 19 points.

McCain's "I am not President Bush" retort to Obama at the debate helped push down somewhat the number of voters who think McCain would likely continue the policies of President Bush. Last week, they held that view by 52 percent to 45 percent, and the new poll says voters now believe it by 49 percent to 48 percent.

Here are the states we're updating today in our round-up of general election match-ups between John McCain and Barack Obama:

• Minnesota: Obama 50, McCain 44. (SurveyUSA)

• Missouri: McCain 45, Obama 44. (Suffolk University)

• New Hampshire: Obama 50, McCain 43. (Research 2000)

• North Carolina: Obama 51, McCain 44. (Public Policy Polling)

• Ohio: Obama 51, McCain 42. (Suffolk University)

• Pennsylvania: Obama 48, McCain 40. (Susquehanna)

• Virginia: Obama 51, McCain 45. (SurveyUSA); Obama 54, McCain 44. (Rasmussen)

Also, check out CQ Politics Presidential election maps which give you four different ways to look at the race, including one that lets you build your own electoral scenario.

Here are today's updated polls in our round-up of Senate races:

• Minnesota: Coleman 41, Franken 39, Barkley 18. (SurveyUSA)

• North Carolina: Hagan 49, Dole 42, Cole 4 (Public Policy Polling)

• Virginia: Warner 60, Gilmore 36. (SurveyUSA)

To keep up with our race ratings, you can also go to our Senate Races to Watch page.

The McCain campaign and Republicans have sought to tie Barack Obama to what they see, and what voters to see, as some unseemly associations - the community organizing group Acorn which they accuse of voter registration fraud, and the '60s-era radical William Ayers. "We need to know the full extent of that relationship," McCain said during the final debate.

But a Washington Post/ABC News poll conducted Oct. 16-18 says voters, by a 60 percent to 37 percent margin, do not believe the Ayers connection is a legitimate issue. Their judgment is closer when it comes to Acorn with voters saying by 49 percent to percent the Obama campaign's association with ACORN is a legitimate issue.

Here are the states we're updating today in our round-up of general election match-ups between John McCain and Barack Obama:

• Kentucky: McCain 53, Obama 39. (Research 2000)
• Ohio: McCain 46, Obama 45. (NBC/Mason-Dixon)
• Minnesota: Obama 52, McCain 41. (Minneapolis Star Tribune); Obama 52, McCain 39. (Research 2000)
• Montana: McCain 49, Obama 45. (Research 2000)
• West Virginia: McCain 47, Obama 41. (NBC/Mason-Dixon); McCain 50, Obama 42. (Public Policy Polling)
• Wisconsin: Obama 51, McCain 39. (NBC/Mason Dixon)

Also, check out CQ Politics Presidential election maps which give you four different ways to look at the race, including one that lets you build your own electoral scenario.

Here are the states we're updating today in our round-up of general election match-ups between John McCain and Barack Obama:

• Alaska: McCain 57, Obama 38. (Research 2000)
• Colorado: Obama 53, McCain 45. (Rasmussen)
• Nevada: Obama 50, McCain 45. (Rasmussen)
• Oregon: Obama 53, McCain 38. (Research 2000)

Also, check out CQ Politics Presidential election maps which give you four different ways to look at the race, including one that lets you build your own electoral scenario.

Here are today's updated polls of Senate races:

• Alaska: Begich 48, Stevens 46. (Research 2000)
• Colorado: Udall 51, Schaffer 44. (Rasmussen)
• Georgia: Chambliss 47, Martin 45, Buckley 5 (Research 2000)
• Mississippi: Wicker 47, Musgrove 46. (Research 2000)
• Oregon: Merkley 47, Smith 41. (Research 2000)
• Texas: Cornyn 50, Noriega 44. (Research 2000)
• Wyoming: Barrasso 57, Carter 36. (Research 2000)

To keep up with our race ratings, you can also go to our Senate Races to Watch page.

Here are the states we're updating today in our round-up of general election match-ups between John McCain and Barack Obama:

• California: Obama 59, McCain 35. (SurveyUSA)
• Florida: Obama 49, McCain 45. (Research 2000); McCain 49, Obama 47 (SurveyUSA)
• Georgia: McCain 49, Obama 43. (Research 2000)
• Mississippi: McCain 50, Obama 40. (Research 2000)
• Missouri: Obama 52, McCain 46. (Rasmussen)
• North Dakota: McCain 45, Obama 45 (Research 2000)
• Pennsylvania: Obama 53, McCain 39. (Muhlenberg)
• Texas: McCain 52, Obama 40. (Research 2000)
• Wyoming: McCain 58, Obama 35. (Research 2000)

Also, check out CQ Politics Presidential election maps which give you four different ways to look at the race, including one that lets you build your own electoral scenario.

Last Sunday, we took note of pieces in the Washington Post and New York Times about the "Bradley Effect," named after former Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley who lost his race for California governor in 1982 even though polls had forecast a victory. So, it's only fair that we present Saturday Night Live's take on it as well.

Here are the states we're updating today in our round-up of general election match-ups between John McCain and Barack Obama:

• Connecticut: Obama 59, McCain 37. (SurveyUSA)
• Massachusetts: Obama 59, McCain 35. (SurveyUSA)
• New York: Obama 57, McCain 37 (Rasmussen)
• Ohio: Obama 49, McCain 49. (Rasmussen)
• Oregon: Obama 54, McCain 41. (Rasmussen)

Also, check out CQ Politics Presidential election maps which give you four different ways to look at the race, including one that lets you build your own electoral scenario.

Here are today's updated polls of Senate races:

• Oregon: Smith 47, Merkley 47. (Rasmussen)

To keep up with our race ratings, you can also go to our Senate Races to Watch page.

The snap polls of reaction to the debate seem to agree: Barack Obama won again.

Fifty-eight percent of debate watchers said that Obama did the best job in the debate compared to 31 percent for John McCain, according to a CNN/Opinion Research poll. The debate caused favorable opinions of Obama to rise slightly from 63 percent at the start to 66 percent, while McCain's slipped 51 percent to 49 percent.

Obama expressed his views more clearly than McCain in the opinion of viewers, who chose Obama by 66 percent to 25 percent. Obama came across as the stronger leader by 23 points and more likable by 48 points.

Here are the states we're updating today in our round-up of general election match-ups between John McCain and Barack Obama:

• Colorado: Obama 51, McCain 47. (CNN/Time/Opinion Research)
• Delaware: Obama 56, McCain 41. (Rasmussen)
• Florida: Obama 51, McCain 46. (CNN/Time/Opinion Research)
• Georgia: McCain 53, Obama 45. (CNN/Time/Opinion Research)
• Illinois: Obama 56, McCain 39. (Rasmussen)
• Kansas: McCain, 54, Obama 41. (Rasmussen)
• Massachusetts: Obama 62, McCain 34. (Rasmussen)
• Missouri: McCain 49, Obama 48. (CNN/Time/Opinion Research)
• New Mexico: Obama 52, McCain 45. (SurveyUSA); Obama 55, McCain 42. (Rasmussen)
• Virginia: Obama 53, McCain 43. (CNN/Time/Opinion Research)
• Washington State: Obama 56, McCain 40. (SurveyUSA)

Also, check out CQ Politics Presidential election maps which give you four different ways to look at the race, including one that lets you build your own electoral scenario.

Here are today's updated polls of Senate races:

• Illinois: Durbin 62, Sauerberg 31. (Rasmussen)
• Kansas: Roberts 55, Slattery 36. (Rasmussen)
• Massachusetts: Kerry 63, Beatty 31. (Rasmussen)
• New Mexico: Udall 57, Pearce 37. (Rasmussen)

To keep up with our race ratings, you can also go to our Senate Races to Watch page.

Barack Obama is leading John McCain 48 percent to 39 percent with 2 percent for Ralph Nader, 1 percent for Libertarian Bob Barr and 10 percent undecided in an Ipsos/McClatchy poll conducted Oct. 9-13. The margin of error is 3.3 percent. Obama's lead in this poll conducted Oct. 2-6 was 7 points.

Respondents said by 53 percent to 30 percent that McCain was engaging in more negative campaigning than Obama and also said, 57 percent to 39 percent, that such campaigning was not very effective or not effective at all.

The other major national polls this week:

• Pew Research: Obama 50, McCain 40.
• Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg: Obama 50, McCain 41.
• New York Times/CBS News: Obama 53, McCain 39.
• USA Today/Gallup: Obama 51, McCain 44.
• Washington Post/ABC News Obama 53, McCain 43.
• Newsweek: Obama 52, McCain 41.

While most Americans have been focused on and worried about the current economic crisis, and even before that, the economy in general, there is "little indication that the nation's financial crisis has triggered panic or despair," according to a Pew Research Center poll conducted Oct. 9-12.

But a survey by Gallup painted a gloomier picture of a public that believes the crisis will do long term harm to their financial standing.

Remember PUMA ("Party Unity My Ass"), the diehard group that stood by Hillary Clinton even after Barack Obama clinched the nomination in June, and was pressing to get a roll call vote for her at the Democratic convention? The group helped give the name to the "Puma effect," which many political players and analysts said might hurt Obama as former Clinton supporters deserted him for McCain or decided not to vote. And there was some support for that thesis in polls during the summer months.

Well, it seems to have been short-lived, according to an analysis of surveys in seven battleground states that Public Policy Polling has been doing through the campaign.

Barack Obama leads John McCain 50 percent to 40 percent with 10 percent undecided in a Pew Research Center poll conducted Oct. 9-12. He led by 7 points in Pew's last poll in late September. Pew notes that the number of voters who say they will definitely not support McCain has risen from 37 percent in early August to 45 percent.

Voters say by 47 percent to 33 percent that they trust Obama more to handle the financial crisis and the economy with 20 percent saying that they trust either or neither. They are split at 48 percent to 47 percent on whether Obama has done a good job in explaining how he would handle the crisis, but for McCain, 67 percent said he did only a fair or poor job while 29 percent said he did an excellent or good job.

The other national polls this week:

• Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg: Obama 50, McCain 41.
• New York Times/CBS News: Obama 53, McCain 39.
• USA Today/Gallup: Obama 51, McCain 44.
• Washington Post/ABC News Obama 53, McCain 43.
• Newsweek: Obama 52, McCain 41.

Barack Obama is leading John McCain 50 percent to 41 percent among likely voters with 2 percent preferring someone else and 8 percent undecided in a Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg poll conducted Oct. 10-13. The margin of error is 3 points. Obama's lead comes down to 9 points if Libertarian Bob Barr, Green Party candidate Cynthia McKinney and Ralph Nader are included.

For some context, this is what the other major national polls showed this week:

• New York Times/CBS News: Obama 53, McCain 39.
• USA Today/Gallup: Obama 51, McCain 44.
• Washington Post/ABC News Obama 53, McCain 43.
• Newsweek: Obama 52, McCain 41.

Barack Obama is leading John McCain 53 percent to 39 percent among registered voters with 1 percent preferring someone else and 6 percent answering "depends" or undecided in a New York Times/CBS News poll conducted Oct. 10-13. The "depends/undecided" voters lean to Obama 54 percent to 41 percent. Obama's overall margin over McCain is 2 points less if Ralph Nader and Libertarian Bob Barr are factored into the choices. Obama had led by 3 points in this poll at the beginning of October.

Fifty percent of voters rate the economy as "very bad" and another 38 percent say it is "fairly bad." Eleven percent say it is fairly good and the number of those who said it was very good didn't even register 1 percent. Voters are confident by 58 percent to 41 percent margin about Obama's ability to make the right decisions on the current economic crisis and by 60 percent to 39 percent about making the right decisions regarding the economy in general. Fifty-one percent said they were not too confident or not at all confident McCain had the ability to make the right choices on the current economic crisis and 52 percent said they were not too confident or confident at all about McCain making the right decisions on the economy in general.

A consistent theme running through national and state polls is that Barack Obama usually comes out on top on the question of which candidate best understands the problems Americans face in their lives. So the findings of a USA Today/Gallup poll conducted Oct. 10-12 are not surprising: voters say this describes Obama by 73 percent to 26 percent. Fifty percent of voters say they do not believe this about McCain while 48 percent do.

Fifty-one percent of voters also believe that Obama more than McCain has a clear plan for solving the country's problems compared to 35 percent for McCain. It's a closer call on the question of who voters think shares their values. Fifty-eight percent believe that of Obama and 50 percent of McCain. Sixty-three percent consider McCain a strong and decisive leader; 61 percent say the same of Obama.

CQ Politics is changing its rating from "Leans Republican" to "No Clear Favorite" in the Oregon race between two-term Republican Gordon Smith and Democratic challenger Jeff Merkley, the speaker of the state House.

Here are today's updated polls of Senate races:

• Colorado: Udall 54, Schaffer 40. (Quinnipiac/WSJ/Washington Post); Udall 45, Schaffer 34 (Suffolk University)
• Minnesota: Franken 39, Coleman 37, Barkley 17. (Quinnipiac/WSJ/Washington Post)
• North Carolina: Hagan 46, Dole 44, Cole 5. (Public Policy Polling)
• Oregon: Merkley 46, Smith 41. (SurveyUSA)

To keep up with our race ratings, you can also go to our Senate Races to Watch page.

Here are the states we're updating today in our round-up of general election match-ups between John McCain and Barack Obama:

• Colorado: Obama 52, McCain 43. (Quinnipiac/WSJ/Washington Post); Obama 47, McCain 43. (Suffolk University)
• Florida: Obama 51, McCain 46. (Fox News/Rasmussen)
• Michigan: Obama 54, McCain 38. (Quinnipiac/WSJ/Washington Post)
• Minnesota: Obama 51, McCain 40. (Quinnipiac/WSJ/Washington Post)
• Missouri: Obama 50, McCain 47. (Fox/Rasmussen); Obama 48, McCain 46. (Public Policy Polling)
• North Carolina: Obama 49, McCain 46. (Public Policy Polling); Obama 48, McCain 48. (Rasmussen)
• Ohio: Obama 49, McCain 47. (Fox/Rasmussen); Obama 50, McCain 45. (SurveyUSA)
• Pennsylvania: Obama 51, McCain 38 (Muhlenberg); Obama 55, McCain 40. (SurveyUSA)
• Wisconsin: Obama 54, McCain 37. (Quinnipiac/WSJ/Washington Post)
• Virginia: Obama 50, McCain 47. (Fox/Rasmussen)

Also, check out CQ Politics Presidential election maps which give you four different ways to look at the race, including one that lets you build your own electoral scenario.

With the last presidential debate 36 hours away, Barack Obama has a significant post-second-debate lead over John McCain in four key states, according to today's Quinnipiac/Washington Post/Wall Street Journal poll.

In three states, Obama moved into double-digit leads after Tuesday's debate: in Minnesota, Obama leads McCain 51-40 percent, in Wisconsin it's 54-37 and in Michigan, he's ahead 54-38. McCain pulled his campaign staff out of Michigan two weeks ago. The numbers didn't change post-debate in Colorado, where Obama leads McCain 52-43 percent.

The pollsters said Obama was "boosted by the economic crisis and a strong debate performance," and noted that, for the first time, Obama "leads or ties Republican John McCain among white voters in all four states."

The telephone survey was done Oct. 8-12 and has margins of error of +/- 3 percentage points (Colorado and Michigan), +/- 3.1 (Minnesota) and +/- 2.8 (Wisconsin).

See all the rest of the most recent State-by-State General Election Polls.

Barack Obama leads John McCain in yet another poll, with a USA Today/Gallup putting him ahead by 51 percent to 44 percent among registered voters in a survey conducted Oct. 10-12. The margin of error is 3 points. But USA Today/Gallup says : "Neither President Bush nor the two men vying to succeed him, John McCain and Barack Obama, has won the confidence of a majority of Americans that he and his advisers will be able to "fix" the nation's economic crisis."

Ninety-one percent of voters say they are dissatisfied with the way the nation is heading. Two-thirds say their personal financial situation has been harmed.

By a 50 percent to 44 percent margin, Americans say they don't have confidence in Obama to fix the economy, but McCain fares worse with 63 percent to 31 percent saying they don't have have confidence in him.

When it comes to President Bush, voters say by 80 percent to 16 percent that they don't have confidence in him and his advisers.

Washington Post/ ABC News poll: Obama 53, McCain 43.

Newsweek poll: Obama 52, McCain 41.

CQ Politics is changing its rating from "Leans Republican" to "No Clear Favorite" in the Oregon race between two-term Republican Gordon Smith and Democratic challenger Jeff Merkley, the speaker of the state House.

Here are today's updated polls of Senate races:

• Georgia: Chambliss 46, Martin 43. (SurveyUSA)
• New Jersey: Lautenberg 51, Zimmer 38. (SurveyUSA)

To keep up with our race ratings, you can also go to our Senate Races to Watch page.

Here are the states we're updating today in our round-up of general election match-ups between John McCain and Barack Obama:

• Georgia: McCain 51, Obama 43. (SurveyUSA)
• Nevada: Obama 47, McCain 45. (Mason-Dixon)
• New Jersey: Obama 55, McCain 40. (SurveyUSA)
• New York: Obama 64, McCain 31. (SurveyUSA)
• Ohio: Obama 49, McCain 45. (Marist)
• Pennsylvania: Obama 53, McCain 41. (Marist)
• North Dakota: Obama 45, McCain 43. (Minnesota State University)

Also, check out CQ Politics Presidential election maps which give you four different ways to look at the race, including one that lets you build your own electoral scenario.

Barack Obama has opened up a double-digit lead in yet another poll, running ahead of John McCain by 53 percent to 43 percent among likely voters with 1 percent preferring someone else, 1 percent supporting neither and 2 percent undecided in a Washington Post/ABC News poll conducted Oct. 8-11. The margin of error is 3 points. That's a 6 point jump from the poll conducted Sept. 29. A Newsweek poll released over the weekend had Obama ahead 52 percent to 41 percent.

Obama's favorable to unfavorable numbers are 64 percent to 33 percent, a positive swing of 9 points since early September, while McCain stands at 52 percent to 45 percent, a negative swing of 16 points. At the same time, President Bush's approval rating is 23 percent, below former President Nixon's lowest, and one point away from the record low registered by Harry Truman in 1952. Fifty-one percent of registered voters believe McCain would lead the nation in the same direction as Bush.

The economy and voters' dim view of the direction of the country are clearly driving Obama's success so far. Ninety percent of voters say the country is heading in the wrong direction. Nine in 10 are worried about the country's economic direction, nearly seven in 10 are worried about their families own finances and 55 percent call the economy the top issue in the campaign. The number of Americans who feel they'll have enough money to carry them through retirement has fallen from 69 percent three years ago to 44 percent.

Registered voters trust Obama over McCain on the economy by 53 percent to 37 percent. They say he better understands their economic problems by 58 percent to 28 percent and they trust him more to help the middle class by 59 percent to 31 percent.

The New York Times and the Washington Post both had stories today on the "Bradley Effect," named after former Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley who lost his race for California governor in 1982 even though polls had forecast a victory. The lingering question with the first black candidate for President currently leading in the polls: do voters tell the truth to pollsters when race is involved.

New York Times: Do Polls Lie About Race?

In recent days, nervous Obama supporters have traded worry about a survey -- widely disputed by pollsters yet voraciously consumed by the politically obsessed -- that concluded racial bias would cost Mr. Obama six percentage points in the final outcome. He is, of course, about six points ahead in current polls. See? He's going to lose.

Washington Post: Pollsters Debate "Bradley Effect"

Most experts say they do not believe that the phenomenon, known as the "Bradley effect," is at work in this election. But some disagree. And if the effect has disappeared, it is not clear whether that is because polling techniques have improved or because the country has become more tolerant about race.

Here are today's updated polls of Senate races:

• Colorado: Udall 49, Schaffer 39. (Public Policy Polling)
• Michigan: Levin 61, Hoogendyk 36. (Rasmussen)
• North Carolina: Hagan 43.6, Dole 43. (WSOC-TV)

To keep up with our race ratings, you can also go to our Senate Races to Watch page.

Here are the states we're updating today in our round-up of general election match-ups between John McCain and Barack Obama:

• California: Obama 56, McCain 40. (Rasmussen)
• Colorado: Obama 52, McCain 42. (Public Policy Polling)

Also, check out CQ Politics Presidential election maps which give you four different ways to look at the race, including one that lets you build your own electoral scenario.

Here are the states we're updating today in our round-up of general election match-ups between John McCain and Barack Obama:

• Alabama: McCain 62, Obama 35. (SurveyUSA)
• Iowa: Obama 54, McCain 41. (SurveyUSA)
• North Carolina: McCain 47.8, Obama 46. (WSOC-TV)
• Ohio: McCain 48, Obama 46. (Ohio Newspaper Poll)
• Oregon: Obama 54, McCain 43. (Rasmussen)

Also, check out CQ Politics Presidential election maps which give you four different ways to look at the race, including one that lets you build your own electoral scenario.

Much has been made about how this year's campaign has spurred a jump in newly registered voters and a MySpace/NBC/Wall Street Journal survey (that we admit we missed at the time) had some interesting insights into their leanings and how they use the Internet and other sources for information about the campaign.

As far as the horse race, the survey conducted Sept. 28-29 of those eligible to vote for the first time showed Obama leading McCain 61 percent to 30 percent with 9 percent undecided. On a scale of 1-to-10, with the high end being those who say they will definitely vote, those in the 8-to-10 range numbered 80 percent.

Barack Obama has jumped out to a 52 percent to 41 percent lead among registered voters with 1 percent preferring someone else and 6 percent undecided in a Newsweek poll conducted Oct. 8 - 9. The margin of error is 3.8 percent. The two were tied in its Sept. 10-11 poll. Obama's favorable to unfavorable numbers are 60 percent to 36 percent while MCain's are 51 percent to 45 percent.

Voters said by 53 percent to 43 percent they believe Obama has enough experience to be President. They say by 55 percent to 39 percent that Sarah Palin does not if she had to step into the office.

As the McCain campaign struggles to find its voice in terms of how hard, or not, to go on the attack against Obama, the poll said that 56 percent of voters who have seen McCain TV ads say they are too negative and 58 percent describe them as misleading or distorted. Twenty-nine percent called Obama's ads too negative and 36 percent said they were misleading or distorted.

CQ Politics has made three changes in our race ratings of the presidential race:

• North Carolina moves from "Leans Republican" to "No Clear favorite."
• Nevada, New Hampshire, Ohio, Colorado and Virginia move from "No Clear Favorite" to "Leans Democratic."
• Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa and Pennsylvania move from "Leans Democratic" to "Democrat Favored."

You can see how these changes play out by going to our CQ Politics Presidential election maps which give you four different ways to look at the race, including one that lets you build your own electoral scenario.

Here are the states we're updating today in our round-up of general election match-ups between John McCain and Barack Obama:

• Florida: Obama 50, McCain 47. (Rasmussen); Obama 52, McCain 44. (Strategic Vision)
• Michigan: Obama 56, McCain 40. (Rasmussen)
• New Jersey: Obama 50, McCain 42. (Rasmussen)
• North Carolina: Obama 49, McCain 48. (Rasmussen); Obama 48, McCain 43. (Civitas)
• Ohio: Obama 48, McCain 46. (Strategic Vision)
• Wisconsin: Obama 51, McCain 41. (Research 2000)

Voters turned thumbs down on the $700 billion financial bailout package approved last week by 53 percent to 34 percent in a Fox News/Opinion Dynamics poll conducted Oct. 8-9. Thirty-three [percent said it would help the economy, 26 percent said it would hurt and 29 percent believe it will make no difference.

Forty-seven percent say the package will make no difference to their family financial situation while 28 percent believe it will hurt and only 16 percent feel it will help.

Only 6 percent believe that elected officials in Washington know what they're doing as far as the attempted rescue. Fifty-three percent say they have no idea what they're doing and 34 percent are "pretty sure" they know what they're doing.

Only 25 percent approve of the job President Bush is doing, the lowest number in Fox polls dating to August, 2006. And only 13 percent approve of the job Congress is doing, the lowest number in the polls since August 2007.

Barack Obama is leading John McCain 46 percent to 39 percent with 3 percent preferring someone else and 11 percent undecided in a Fox News/Opinion Dynamics poll conducted Oct. 8-9. The margin of error is 3 percent. That's about the same margin the Fox poll had Sept. 22-23.

Obama also wins the expectations race. Voters believe 61 percent to 18 percent he will win the election and even Republicans say that by 39 percent to 35 percent.

Here are today's updated polls of Senate races:

• Alaska: Begich 49, Stevens 45. (Ivan Moore)
• North Carolina: Hagan 49, Dole 44. (Rasmussen)

To keep up with our race ratings, you can also go to our Senate Races to Watch page.

The extent to which Barack Obama is doing well this year, even in the South, is due to increased support from white voters compared to Democratic performance in 2004, according to a Public Policy Polling study released Oct. 10.

PPP says while the "conventional wisdom" that Obama is benefiting from likelihood of increased turnout and strong support from black and young voters is important, a large factor in his gains come from rising concern over the economy and direction of the country that are "outweighing any trepidation white voters, particularly conservative Democrats and independents might have about choosing a black man."

We're re-arranging the format again at the suggestion of several readers, to show horse race results at the top of the page with the more detailed summaries of state polls on Senate races in alphabetical order below.

Each summary will contain CQ Politics' race rating. Today we are making the following race ratings changes:

• Georgia, from "Republican Favored" to "Leans Republican."
• Minnesota, from "Leans Republican" to "No Clear Favorite."
• Virginia, from "Democrat Favored" to "Safe Democratic."

Here are today's updated polls:

• Alaska: Stevens 49, Begich 48. (Rasmussen Reports)
• Georgia: Chambliss 50, Martin 44. (Rasmussen Reports)
• Minnesota: Franken 43, Coleman 37. (Rasmussen Reports)
• New Hampshire: Shaheen 51, Sununu 42. (ARG)
• New Jersey: Lautenberg 51, Zimmer 37. (Rasmussen Reports)

To keep up with our race ratings, you can also go to our Senate Races to Watch page.

At the request of some of our readers, we've tweaked the format of our general election match-ups between John McCain and Barack Obama by putting the topline figures for update states up top, and reordering the more detailed rundowns of states alphabetically. The summary for each state includes how CQ Politics is rating the race.

Here are the states we're updating today.

1. Georgia: McCain 54, Obama 45. (Rasmussen Reports); McCain 50, Obama 43. (Strategic Vision)
2. Minnesota: Obama 52, McCain 45. (Rasmussen Reports); Obama 47, McCain 46 (ARG)
3. Missouri: McCain 49, Obama 46. (ARG)
4. Montana: McCain 50, Obama 45. (ARG)
5. New Hampshire: Obama 52, McCain 43. (ARG)
6. Ohio: Obama 48, McCain 45. (ARG)
7. Texas: McCain 57, Obama 38. (ARG)
8. Pennsylvania: Obama 54, McCain 40. (Strategic Vision)
9. Virginia: Obama 51, McCain 43. (Public Policy Polling)
10. West Virginia: Obama 50, McCain 42. (ARG)

Visit our Presidential election maps which give you four different ways to look at the race, including one that lets you build your own electoral scenario.

Here are our updates of general election match-ups between John McCain and Barack Obama. More details on each state down below.

• Wisconsin: Obama 54, McCain 44. (Rasmussen)
• Alabama: McCain 60, Obama 39. (Rasmussen)
• Pennsylvania: Obama 54, McCain 41. (Rasmussen)
• North Carolina: McCain 49, Obama 46 (SurveyUSA)
• Oklahoma: McCain 65.5, Obama 29.1. (Oklahoma City News 9 poll)

Visit our Presidential election maps which give you four different ways to look at the race, including one that lets you build your own electoral scenario.

Today we update Minnesota in our round-up of state Senate race polls where the latest survey shows Democratic Al Franken overtaking Republican Norm Coleman..

To keep up with our race ratings, you can also go to our Senate Races to Watch page. Here's a summary of the categories:

• No Clear Favorite, for races that are deemed to close to call.

• Leans Democratic and Leans Republican, for highly competitive races in which the named party is perceived to have at least a slight edge, but in which an upset is a highly plausible possibility.

• Democrat Favored and Republican Favored, for races in which the named party has a clearer advantage and is likely to win, though an upset cannot be completely ruled out.

• Safe Democratic and Safe Republican, for races in which the named party is viewed as certain to win.

Barack Obama has moved out to an 11 point lead in Gallup's daily tracking poll conducted Oct. 5-7. The survey was conducted largely before last night's Town Hall debate which Obama won in the judgment of viewers, according to several polls.

Obama now leads 52 percent to 41 percent with 1 percent choosing "other" and 2 percent expressing no opinion - which is not only his largest lead of the campaign in this poll, but his largest percentage of the vote.

We just couldn't resist this new poll.

The Daily Show's senior polling analyst John Oliver said undecideds hold the key to the presidential election and then breaks down the demographics of who they are, with 45 percent being "stupid," and the other major categories being racist Democrats, attention seekers and the chronically insecure. His further analysis of who constitutes that 45 percent include people who get their heads stuck in jars while eating pickles, shaved gorillas who somehow obtain drivers' licenses, and Cubs fans. One caveat: the poll's margin of error is plus or minus 95 percent.

By the way, if you need your politics lightened up a bit, go to our Politics (Un)Seriously blog.

Barack Obama's leads in the polls have been attributed to concerns about the economy, and a new Gallup poll, conducted Oct. 3-5, looking at factors affecting voters' decisions supports that.

Forty-three percent say they are more likely to vote for Obama because of his economic and tax plans compared to 33 percent who say that makes them less likely to support him. Compare that to the numbers for McCain where 44 percent of voters say they are less likely to back McCain because of his economic policies while 30 percent said they were more likely.

Although the town hall-style format is one that John McCain has used to great success Barack Obama came out on top in last night's debate, according to polls by CNN/Opinion Research and CBS News.

In CNN's poll, debate-watchers said by 54 percent to 30 percent that Obama did the best job. By 54 percent to 43 percent, they said Obama came across as the stronger leader and 65 percent found him more likable compared to 28 percent for McCain.

"McCain's advantage on leadership shrunk from 19 points in September to just five points this weekend," said CNN polling director Keating Holland said. "If Obama can use this debate to convince Americans that he is a stronger leader than McCain, he may be difficult to defeat."

Today we update Pennsylvania, California, New Hampshire, Wisconsin, Ohio, Nevada and Minnesota in our round-up of general election match-ups between John McCain and Barack Obama. As with the latest national polls, the movement in these polls and the ones we posted yesterday appears to be mostly towards Obama. A Time/CNN/Opinion Research poll said McCain was struggling in states that President Bush won in 2004 such as North Carolina, Ohio, and Indiana.

Visit our Presidential election maps which give you four different ways to look at the race, including one that lets you build your own electoral scenario.

Here's a summary of our race ratings categories. Use this link for background on how we arrive at them

• No Clear Favorite, for races that are deemed to close to call.
• Leans Democratic and Leans Republican, for highly competitive races in which the named party is perceived to have at least a slight edge, but in which an upset is a highly plausible possibility.
• Democrat Favored and Republican Favored, for races in which the named party has a clearer advantage and is likely to win, though an upset cannot be completely ruled out.
• Safe Democratic and Safe Republican, for races in which the named party is viewed as certain to win.

The latest Gallup daily tracking poll conducted Oct. 4-6 has Barack Obama leading John McCain 51 percent to 42 percent with 5 percent expressing no opinion. The margin of error is 2 percent. Obama's lead matches the 9 point high water mark he notched in July after his foreign trip. Obama has now held statistically significant leads in each daily poll since Sept. 24-26.

Today we update New Hampshire, Maine, North Carolina and Virginia in our round-up of state Senate race polls.

To keep up with our race ratings, you can also go to our Senate Races to Watch page. Here's a summary of the categories:

• No Clear Favorite, for races that are deemed to close to call.

• Leans Democratic and Leans Republican, for highly competitive races in which the named party is perceived to have at least a slight edge, but in which an upset is a highly plausible possibility.

• Democrat Favored and Republican Favored, for races in which the named party has a clearer advantage and is likely to win, though an upset cannot be completely ruled out.

• Safe Democratic and Safe Republican, for races in which the named party is viewed as certain to win.

While the stock resoundingly voted thumbs down by several hundred Dow points, several national polls presented different pictures of how voters viewed the economic bailout package approved by Congress last week and signed into law by President Bush.

In a Pew Research Center poll, conducted Oct. 3-5, voters were mixed in how they felt about the federal economic bailout , with 42 percent saying it was the right thing to do while 39 percent disagreed and 19 percent said they didn't know or refused to answered the question. That was a drop in support of 7 points compared to the last poll taken before congressional approval. The overall margin of error is 4.5 percent with margins of error in the 7 to 8 percent range for Republicans, Democrats and independents.

Most of the new national polls released today are all good news for Barack Obama, although one survey has the race tighter than the others.

Obama has opened up a 53 percent to 45 percent lead over John McCain among likely voters in a CNN/Opinion Research poll conducted Oct. 3-5. The margin of error is 3.5 points. CNN's mid-September poll had Obama ahead by 4 points.

A Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll conducted Oct. 4-5 has Obama ahead by 49 percent to 43 percent. The margin of error is 3.8 percent. Two weeks ago, this survey gave Obama a 2 point lead.

A CBS News poll conducted Oct. 3-5 has Obama ahead 48 percent to 45 percent among likely voters with 5 percent undecided. The margin of error is 3 points.

A George Washington University Battleground Poll conducted Sept. 30 - Oct .2 had Obama leading McCain 50 percent to 43 percent with 7 percent undecided. The margin of error is 3.5 percent

However you may have scored the vice-presidential debate, it did not do much to change the public perception of Sarah Palin when it comes to her favorability ratings or whether she is seen as qualified to serve as President, according to a Pew Research Center poll conducted Oct. 3-5.

Palin's favorable to unfavorable ratio after the debate was 55 percent to 40 percent, compared to 51 percent to 42 percent before the debate. Joseph Biden got a bigger bump, with his pre and post-debate favorability rating going from 54 percent to 63 percent.

Fifty- percent of voters said Palin was not qualified to serve as president, compared to 51 percent pre-debate. Biden was viewed as qualified to serve by 77 percent, a gain of 8 points.

The three words most used by voters to describe Biden were knowledgeable (53 percent), experienced (32 percent) and competent (23 percent), while the words most used for Palin were confident (15 percent), honest (15 percent) with good percent).and inexperienced tied at 14 percent.

Both candidates got high marks for their performances. Sixty-five percent of voters rated Palin excellent or good, and 81 percent said that of Biden.

Barack Obama has statistically significant leads over John McCain in four daily tracking polls today.

Gallup: Obama 50, McCain 42.

Diageo/Hotline: Obama 48, McCain 41.

Rasmussen Reports: Obama 51, McCain 45.

Research 2000: Obama 52, McCain 40.

Today we update Minnesota where a new poll produced the opposite result of one released yesterday, and put Democrat Al Franken in the lead.

To keep up with our race ratings, you can also go to our Senate Races to Watch page. Here's a summary of the categories:

• No Clear Favorite, for races that are deemed to close to call.

• Leans Democratic and Leans Republican, for highly competitive races in which the named party is perceived to have at least a slight edge, but in which an upset is a highly plausible possibility.

• Democrat Favored and Republican Favored, for races in which the named party has a clearer advantage and is likely to win, though an upset cannot be completely ruled out.

• Safe Democratic and Safe Republican, for races in which the named party is viewed as certain to win.

Today we update New Hampshire, where Democrat Jeanne Shaheen and John Sununu have swapped leads again, and Minnesota where one poll shows Franken sinking and an independent candidate rising.

To keep up with our race ratings, you can also go to our Senate Races to Watch page. Here's a summary of the categories:

• No Clear Favorite, for races that are deemed to close to call.

• Leans Democratic and Leans Republican, for highly competitive races in which the named party is perceived to have at least a slight edge, but in which an upset is a highly plausible possibility.

• Democrat Favored and Republican Favored, for races in which the named party has a clearer advantage and is likely to win, though an upset cannot be completely ruled out.

• Safe Democratic and Safe Republican, for races in which the named party is viewed as certain to win.

Today we update New Mexico, New Hampshire, Nebraska, Kentucky, Montana, Minnesota, Nevada, Washington State and North Carolina. CQ Politics has moved New Mexico out of the "No Clear Favorite" column and into "Leans Democratic."

Visit our Presidential election maps which give you four different ways to look at the race, including one that lets you build your own electoral scenario.

Here's a summary of our race ratings categories. Use this link for background on how we arrive at them

• No Clear Favorite, for races that are deemed to close to call.
• Leans Democratic and Leans Republican, for highly competitive races in which the named party is perceived to have at least a slight edge, but in which an upset is a highly plausible possibility.
• Democrat Favored and Republican Favored, for races in which the named party has a clearer advantage and is likely to win, though an upset cannot be completely ruled out.
• Safe Democratic and Safe Republican, for races in which the named party is viewed as certain to win.

Fifty-one percent of those who watched the debate said that Joseph Biden did the best job, compared to 36 percent for Sarah Palin, according to a CNN poll. The margin of error is 4 points. Debate-watchers also though Biden showed himself to be the more intelligent by a 57 percent to 26 percent margin.

Based on what they heard, voters said by 53 percent to 42 percent that Biden seemed more likely to bring change to Washington, even though he is a 35 year veteran of the Senate.

Eighty-seven percent said Biden was qualified to be President compared to 46 percent for Palin.

Today we update North Carolina, Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Florida, Georgia and Nevada in our round-up of state-by-state general election match-ups between Barack Obama and John McCain.

Visit our Presidential election maps which give you four different ways to look at the race, including one that lets you build your own electoral scenario.

Here's a summary of our race ratings categories. Use this link for background on how we arrive at them

• No Clear Favorite, for races that are deemed to close to call.
• Leans Democratic and Leans Republican, for highly competitive races in which the named party is perceived to have at least a slight edge, but in which an upset is a highly plausible possibility.
• Democrat Favored and Republican Favored, for races in which the named party has a clearer advantage and is likely to win, though an upset cannot be completely ruled out.
• Safe Democratic and Safe Republican, for races in which the named party is viewed as certain to win.

Today we update New Mexico, Oklahoma, Georgia, Nebraska, Kentucky, Mississippi and Texas. Also, we have changed our race rating for Alabama and Sen. Jeff Sessions from "Republican Favored" to "Safe Republican."

To keep up with our race ratings, you can also go to our Senate Races to Watch page. Here's a summary of the categories:

• No Clear Favorite, for races that are deemed to close to call.

• Leans Democratic and Leans Republican, for highly competitive races in which the named party is perceived to have at least a slight edge, but in which an upset is a highly plausible possibility.

• Democrat Favored and Republican Favored, for races in which the named party has a clearer advantage and is likely to win, though an upset cannot be completely ruled out.

• Safe Democratic and Safe Republican, for races in which the named party is viewed as certain to win.

Barack Obama is leading John McCain 49 percent to 44 percent among likely voters, including leaners, with 1 percent preferring someone else and 9 percent undecided in a Marist Institute poll conducted Sept. 28-30. The margin of error is 3 percent. That's unchanged since last week in this poll. Among all registered voters, the margin is 47 percent to 43 percent.

Marist says the intensity of support for the candidates has fallen off somewhat, from 81 percent who last week said they strongly supported their choice to 74 percent. Seven percent say they might change their minds. The fall-off for McCain was 9 points and for Obama it was 7 points. Both candidates have almost equal favorable ratings, around the 60 percent mark.

Six in 10 of registered voters doubt Sarah Palin's qualifications to be President and fewer than half believe she has a grasp of complex issues, according to a Washington Post/ABC News poll conducted Sept. 27-29. ABC's analysis of the results said: "In advance of her debate against Joe Biden tonight, Palin now looks like more of a drag than a boost to the GOP ticket."

The Post/ABC poll reflects similar findings in other national polls, like one published yesterday by the Pew Research Center and the Associated Press-GfK, as well as battleground state surveys by Public Policy Polling and Quinnipiac University.

The number of voters who said that John McCain's choice of Palin made it less likely they would vote for him rose from 19 percent on Sept. 4 to 32 percent in the Post/ABC survey. Twenty-three percent said they are more likely to vote for McCain because she is on the ticket, about the same number as in early September, and 45 percent said it would make no difference.

Today we update Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Mississippi, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, Virginia and Oklahoma in our round-up of state-by-state general election match-ups between Barack Obama and John McCain. One set of the new polls is Quinnipiac University's swing state surveys of Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania which like the AP-GfK and Pew Research Center surveys we posted earlier show Obama benefiting from the first presidential debate, greater voter trust in him on the economy and falling favorability ratings of Sarah Palin.

Obama also gained significant ground in polls conducted in five battleground states in a CNN/Time Magazine/Opinion Research poll released today. CNN polling director Keating Holland said, "Obama has gained ground among moderates in all five states." He added, That may have something to do with the first presidential debate. Some commentators knocked Obama for agreeing with McCain as often as he did, but moderates tend to like it when candidates appear willing to see the other side's point of view." The states were Florida, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada and Virginia.

Barack Obama leads John McCain 48 percent to 41 percent largely because of the edge he enjoys among voters on the economy, according to an Associated Press-GfK poll released Oct. 1. The latest survey of likely voters contrasted with one by AP-GfK three weeks ago that gave McCain a slight edge.

AP quoted Republicans speaking on condition of anonymity as attributing Obama's gains and McCain's slide to the same three factors cited early in a Pew Research Center poll: "No McCain gain from the first debate, McCain's struggles with economic issues as the financial crisis has unfolded and deepening public skepticism about his running mate, Sarah Palin."

Although they may be a little late given developments in the Senate, 57 percent of Americans want Congress to start from scratch in putting together a Wall Street bailout bill, according to a USA Today/Gallup poll conducted Sept. 30. Twenty percent favor a bill similar to the one that was defeated, 14 percent want no bill at all and 10 percent have no opinion.

Breaking it down along party lines, 61 percent of Democrats, 59 percent of Republicans and 51 percent of independents want to see lawmakers come up with a new plan.

Barack Obama has opened up his first significant lead since June in polling done by the Pew Research Center, running ahead of McCain 49 percent to 43 percent with 8 percent undecided among likely voters and 49 percent to 42 percent with 9 percent undecided among registered voters. The poll was conducted Sept. 27-29 and had a margin of error of 3 percent for the entire sample and 3.5 percent for registered voters.

Pew identified three factors that have helped Obama: his debate performance was judged by voters to be better than McCain's; the economy and not world conflicts or natural disasters are dominating the public's attention and they see Obama as the better choice to deal with the financial turmoil; and opinions about Sarah Palin have become increasingly negative.