Gallup Shows Biggest Obama Lead—Even as McCain Gains

Republican has edge among those most likely to vote, poll finds; Dem sees bounce

By Jonas Oransky, Newser Staff

Posted Jul 28, 2008 6:30 PM CDT

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Gallup Shows Biggest Obama Lead—Even as McCain Gains — Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., second from left, speaks during a meeting with his economic advisers. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

After a Gallup poll yesterday showed Barack Obama with his biggest lead to date among all registered voters, at 9%, a Gallup/USA Today survey out today has John McCain ahead among those voters deemed most likely to actually go to the polls in November. A rep for Gallup—which conducts a daily “tracking poll” of registered voters—calls the varying data “statistical noise.”

Of the survey that showed McCain up 4 points (49%-45%) among likely voters after being down 6% in late June, Frank Newport said that “registered voters are much more important.” Obama leads in that category by only 3 points (47%-44%). Needless to say, it remains unclear which candidate got the bump from the Democrat’s world tour. (Read more Barack Obama stories.)