Poll: McCain, Nixon lead in Missouri

ST. LOUIS -- A new poll shows Republican presidential nominee John McCain holds a slight lead over Democrat Barack Obama in Missouri.

The results show McCain's choice of Sarah Palin as his running mate is helping his cause.

The poll -- conducted last week by Research 2000, a Maryland-based polling firm, for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and KMOV-TV -- also shows Democrat Jay Nixon leading Republican Kenny Hulshof in the race for governor.

Among the 800 likely Missouri voters polled last week, 49 percent favored McCain compared to 45 percent for Obama. The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.

A similar Research 2000 poll conducted in July showed Obama ahead in Missouri, 48 percent to 43 percent.

McCain improved his standing among fellow Republicans as well as independents.

In the July poll, 81 percent of Republicans supported McCain. Now that figure is 88 percent. Independents polled in July leaned toward Obama. This time, they leaned toward McCain.

In both Missouri polls, Obama was seen as more trustworthy when it comes to handling the economy. But this time, the Democrat's edge over McCain is far less (5 percentage points) than it was in the summer (16 percentage points).

Meanwhile, McCain continues to hold a double-digit lead when those polled were asked who they trusted more in handling international affairs and the U.S. campaign against terrorism.

The Missourians polled last week gave Obama their strongest marks -- a 17 percentage-point edge -- when it came to health care.

Research 2000 pollster Del Ali said McCain's stronger standing on national security is the main reason why Missouri voters lean slightly toward him.

But voters' rising fears about the economy could change the state contest quickly, Ali added, especially if Obama continues to be seen as more trustworthy on economic matters.

The economy was cited as voters' top issue in determining their vote for president.

As a bloc, women polled lean slightly toward Obama -- but their preference is far below the double-digit lead that Obama had among Missouri women in July.

Pollster Ali gives part of the credit to Palin, McCain's vice presidential choice.

Among the Missouri Republicans polled, almost half said they were more likely to support McCain because of Palin. In contrast, just over a quarter of the Democrats polled said the same about Obama's running mate, Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware.

In the other big contest in Missouri, the poll shows Nixon, the attorney general, leading Hulshof, the 9th District congressman, 50 percent to 43 percent.

Nixon increased his favorable rating to 58 percent from 56 percent, and his unfavorability rating went down since the last poll in July, Ali noted.

In the other statewide contests on the ballot Nov. 4, Missourians polled gave Democratic candidates the edge for attorney general and secretary of state while Republicans were leading for lieutenant governor and treasurer.

The latest poll showed that Hulshof has made some headway with independent voters, but Nixon is still ahead, 52 percent to 40 percent, with 5 percent of independents undecided.