Gallup Daily: Obama 46%, McCain 45%

PRINCETON, NJ -- Barack Obama and John McCain continue to run about even in presidential preferences for the fall election, with Obama favored by 46% of national registered voters and McCain by 45%.

This finding, based on Gallup Poll Daily tracking from June 1-5, is consistent with the close nature of the Obama-McCain race for the past week. (To view the complete trend since March 7, 2008, click here.)

The latest results include two nights of interviewing since Obama declared victory over Hillary Clinton on Tuesday night in the Democratic delegate contest. Although Wednesday night's interviewing showed no immediate bounce in national support for Obama versus McCain, Thursday night's results were quite favorable to Obama. It will be important to see if Obama can maintain this support over the coming days.

To Be V.P., or Not To Be V.P.?

The question of whether Obama will select Clinton to be his vice presidential running mate has replaced the drama of the primary election. According to Gallup Poll Daily interviewing from June 4-5, exactly half of national Democratic voters (including independents who lean Democratic) would like him to select Clinton; 36% want him to choose someone else, while the remaining 14% are unsure. -- Lydia Saad

Survey Methods

For the Gallup Poll Daily tracking survey, Gallup is interviewing no fewer than 1,000 U.S. adults nationwide each day during 2008.

The general-election results are based on combined data from June 1-5, 2008. For results based on this sample of 4,391 registered voters, the maximum margin of sampling error is ±2 percentage points.

The Democratic vice presidential selection question results are based on data from June 4-5, 2008. For results based on this sample of 984 Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents, the maximum margin of sampling error is ±3 percentage points.

Interviews are conducted with respondents on land-line telephones (for respondents with a land-line telephone) and cellular phones (for respondents who are cell-phone only).

In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.