Poll: It''s all tied up for Dems in Texas
Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are in a statistical dead heat
in Texas, according to a poll released eight days before the state''s crucial presidential primary.
In the CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey released Monday, 50
percent of likely Democratic primary voters said Obama is their choice for the party''s nominee, while 46 percent backed Clinton. But taking into account the poll''s
sampling error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points for Democratic respondents, the race is a virtual tie. Clinton had a statistically insignificant 50 percent to 48 percent edge over Obama in last Monday''s CNN/ORC poll in Texas. "The 2-point gain for Obama and the 4-point drop for Clinton are both within the poll''s sampling error, so although the survey appears to indicate some movement toward Obama, we cannot say for certain that he has gained any ground since last week," said CNN polling director Keating Holland. Two recent polls by other organizations also show the race statistically even. Texas and Ohio, which both hold primaries March 4, are considered must-win states for
Clinton.
Watch what challenges the candidates face in Texas, Ohio » Obama has won the past 11 contests and is ahead in the overall battle for delegates, 193 of which are at stake in Texas. The new survey indicates John
McCain is the clear favorite in Texas for the Republican presidential nomination. Among likely Republican primary voters, 56 percent said the senator from Arizona is their choice for nominee. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike
Huckabee won the backing of 31 percent of those questioned, and Rep. Ron Paul of Texas was at 9 percent. These numbers are virtually unchanged from last week''s poll. The survey''s sampling error for Republican respondents is also plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.