SurveyUSA

A new Strategic Vision poll shows that John McCain has closed the gap among Washington voters, and now trails Barack Obama by just five percentage points, 47%-42%.  The last Strategic Vision poll, conducted in July, had Obama with an 11-point lead, 48%-37%.  A Rasmussen Reports poll on September 10 has Obama ahead 49%-47% -- a strategic dead heat.   A September 6-8 Elway poll had Obama up by six points (45%-39%) and a September 5-7 SurveyUSA poll shows a 4 point race: Obama 49%, McCain 45%.

The last independent poll of Washington State voters in the presidential race was nearly one month ago; SurveyUSA had Barack Obama leading John McCain by a 51%-44% margin.  Obama's seven percentage point lead was better than three other polls (Rasmussen, Elway and Strategic Vision) that gave Obama a double-digit lead.  Nearly all of the independent forecasters say Washington is a Blue State, but there hasn't been a new poll since McCain added Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin on the ticket.