CHICAGO, Feb. 23 (UPI) -- Either John Kerry or John Edwards could beat U.S. President George Bush in Illinois if the election were today, a new poll indicates.
In a survey conducted by the Chicago Daily Southtown, Democratic front-runner Kerry is seen leading Bush 53 percent to 41 percent in Illinois in a hypothetical election matchup. Against Democrat Edwards, Bush would lose 50 percent to 42 percent, the poll showed.
The poll further shows nearly half of likely Illinois voters believe the Bush administration deliberately distorted the threat posed by Saddam Hussein to justify war with Iraq.
But, a distinct majority, including nearly 25 percent of the people who think the president misstated the threat, still believe the war in Iraq and the removal of Saddam from power was a good idea.
The survey of 1,500 likely Illinois voters showed 47 percent believe Bush intentionally misstated the threat posed by Iraq to make his case for war.
The poll's margin of error ranged from 3 percent to 5 percent.
