WASHINGTON, June 30 (UPI) -- Democrat John Kerry enjoys a considerable lead over U.S. President George Bush in Connecticut in the latest Quinnipiac poll.
Kerry leads Bush by 21 points, 55 percent to 34 percent, in a two-way race. Kerry's lead shrinks slightly, to 18 points in a three way contest if liberal independent Ralph Nader is included.
In a three-way race, Kerry remains ahead with 50 percent, followed by Bush at 32 percent and Nader at 9 percent.
The poll also found the president has a negative job approval rating of 58 percent, something some analysts suggest may be linked to fallout from the resignation of GOP Gov. John Rowland, the subject of an investigation into alleged corruption.
In 2000, the state gave its 8 electoral votes to former Vice President Al Gore, who bested Bush 56 percent to 38 percent out of just under 1.5 million votes cast. In 2004, the state will have 7 electoral votes, having lost a congressional seat in the reapportionment that followed the 2000 census.
The poll, which was conducted by Quinnipiac University, sampled 929 registered voters statewide Sunday and Monday and has a margin of error of 3.2 percentage points.
