Tuesday, July 22, 2008

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In Colorado, Barack Obama leads Republican John McCain by seven percentage points, 49% to 42%. However, when leaners are included, McCain is more competitive and pulls to within three points, 50% to 47%.

A month ago, the race was a toss-up, but two months ago Obama led by six.

Obama now attracts the votes from 87% of Democrats, that up ten points over the past month. McCain earns the vote from 88% of Republicans, a six-point gain over the past month. Among unaffiliated voters, Obama leads by just four points. That’s down from seventeen points a month ago.

Although Obama leads in the polling, McCain is better liked—61% of Colorado voters have a favorable opinion of the southwestern Senator. Just 52% have a similar opinion about the Senator from Illinois.

Forty-eight percent (48%) of Colorado voters believe most reporters are trying to help Barack Obama win the election. Just 11% believe the reporters are trying to help McCain and only 24% believe the journalists are trying to provide unbiased coverage. The national figures are very similar.

Colorado has gone Republican in the last three presidential contests, reelecting George W. Bush in 2004 by five percentage points. Over the past forty years, Colorado has cast its Electoral Votes for the Democrats just once—for Bill Clinton in 1992. But Obama and his party have targeted it as a swing state this year. Democrats also have a good chance of picking up a Senate seat in Colorado this year.

Rasmussen Markets data shows that Democrats are currently given a % chance of winning Colorado’s nine Electoral College votes this November. At the time this poll was released, Colorado was rated as “Leans Democratic” in the Rasmussen Reports Balance of Power Calculator. NOTE: Factors other than the latest Rasmussen Reports poll impact the Balance of Power ratings. The current status is indicated on the table in the upper righthand corner of this article.

Nationally, the contest between McCain and Obama remains very close in the Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll.

In Colorado, 56% favor offshore oil drilling. But, voters are evenly divided as to whether reducing gas prices or protecting the environment is more important.

Fifty-four percent (54%) say the U.S. and its allies are winning the War on Terror while 23% believe the terrorists are winning. Those figures are similar to the national average. Confidence in the War on Terror is currently at the highest levels of the past four years. Most Colorado voters see Afghanistan as the central front in the War on Terror. That, too, is similar to the national mood.

President Bush’s job approval rating is up very slightly this month, with 36% now saying he is doing a good or excellent job. However, 52% say he is doing a poor job.

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