Obama Builds Momentum By Cutting Into Clinton Bases Of Support

Gallup shows Obama now ahead nationally

February 19, 2008

Gallup says the momentum in the Democratic presidential contest "has clearly swung toward Barack Obama" and that one of the key indicators is that he has started to gain among voting blocs that had been the source of Hillary Clintons strength. Gallup bases this on comparisons of polling it did during two periods: Feb.5-9 and Feb.13-17. In that time, the race has gone from Clinton leading by an average of 49 percent to 42 percent, to Obama now ahead 49 percent to 43 percent. The margin of error is 2 percent.

While in general Obama still has a strong lead among younger voters and Clinton retains her edge with older voters, he has started to make inroads among middle-aged Democrats. Just as the overall lead in the race has changed hands, Obama now bests Clinton in the 35-to-54 age group by 51 percent to 42 percent in the Feb.13-17 polling compared to Clinton's 49 percent to 42 percent lead in the previous comparison period.

(Continued here.)