PRINCETON, NJ -- The latest Gallup Poll Daily tracking report for July 17-19 shows Barack Obama maintaining a slight advantage over John McCain, 45% to 42%.
This marks the third report in a row in which Obama's support, at 45%, is slightly lower than his overall average for the last month and a half. The percent of registered voters interviewed who do not make a choice between the two candidates has increased slightly; McCain's support level remains no higher than it has been. (To view the complete trend since March 7, 2008, click here.)
Obama began his highly-publicized international trip just as the last interviews in this three-day rolling average were being collected. It remains to be seen whether the intense publicity Obama will receive as a result of the trip will make a difference in overall voter preferences as the week progresses. So far this summer, it appears that not much has been able to induce substantial change in voter support for the two major party candidates. -- Frank Newport.
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 July 17-19, 2008. For results based on this sample of 2,669 registered voters, the maximum margin of sampling error is ±2 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.
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