Democratic Senator Barack Obama now leads Republican Senator McCain 46% to 43%, according to the latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of the presidential race. Obama leads former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney 46% to 40% (see crosstabs).

A month ago, McCain had a statistically insignificant one-point lead over Obama. However, in the five polls before that, Obama enjoyed an advantage ranging from four to nine points.

The volatility in the match-up has come from shifting levels of support for McCain. In July, following the Senate debate on immigration, support for McCain fell to 38% in the match-up with Obama. That grew to 40% in August, 41% in September, and 45% in October (see historic trends).

Obama’s numbers, by contrast, have remained remarkably steady. This is the fourth time in the last six polls that Obama has attracted 46% support against McCain. Once, he was a point above that level and once he was two points below. In the last ten polls, Obama’s support has stayed in the very narrow range from 44% to 47%.

In the match-up against Romney, Obama held a 48% to 39% advantage in October. The current poll is just the second time that Romney his reached the 40% level when matched against Obama. Obama’s support has stayed between 46% and 49% for five consecutive surveys.

Romney always hits at least 40% support in match-ups with Hillary Clinton but has yet to reach that level in match-ups with John Edwards.

In the present survey Obama does a bit better than his GOP opponents with unaffiliated voters and a lot better with respondents who consider themselves politically moderate. Against McCain he leads 55% to 32% among moderates. Against Romney he leads 55% to 30%.

Romney is now viewed favorably by 43%, unfavorably by 36%, with 20% Not Sure of their opinion of him.

Fourteen percent (14%) of Republicans have yet to make up their minds about him. McCain is viewed favorably by 48%, Obama by 45%.

In the race for the Republican Presidential Nomination, Romney and McCain have remained consistently in the low double digits nationwide. Romney leads in both Iowa and New Hampshire. McCain is not a significant factor in Iowa but is virtually tied for second in New Hampshire.

The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll shows Obama in second place nationwide trailing Senator Hillary Clinton by roughly twenty percentage points. The Democratic race in Iowa is essentially a three-way tie between Clinton, Obama, and former Senator John Edwards. Clinton has a double digit lead in New Hampshire.

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