Tracking poll: Bush, Gore dead-even entering 2nd debate
From Polling Director Keating Holland
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Texas Gov. George W. Bush and Vice President Al Gore are dead-even in today's CNN/USA Today/Gallup tracking poll as they head into tonight's second presidential debate at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Bush, the Republican presidential candidate, and Gore, the Democratic candidate each claim 45 percent of the vote in poll, conducted October 8-10 in a survey of 730 likely voters.
The poll once again shows a presidential contest that is extremeely tight and competitive. And while today's results are not a big change since yesterday, it does represent a 4- to 5-point drop in Bush's support since the weekend.
The race has been tight since Labor Day, with Gore and Bush occasionally building sizeable leads. But neither candidates has been able to hold onto that advantage for more than a few days.
With the race deadlocked just before Wednesday night's debate, it is likely that even minor events in the face-to-face contest will cause at least a few voters to change their minds. In other words, be prepared for the race to swing back and forth as the debates and other events confront the voters with new facts, gaffes, and issues.
The question in the coming week will not be which candidate gains an advantage from the debate, but whether he will be able to hold onto it long enough to permanently affect the race.
CNN will be releasing the results of its tracking polls every day until the November 7 elections. The polls monitor public opinion of the presidential race over intervals of two to three days.
CNN/USA TODAY/GALLUP POLL
October 8-10
Likely voters' choice for president
| Bush | 45% |
| Gore | 45 |
| Nader | 2 |
| Buchanan | 1 |
| Sampling error: +/-3.5% pts |
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