Poll: Latinos prefer Kerry to Bush

UTICA, N.Y., July 26 (UPI) -- On the eve of the Democrats' national convention, John F. Kerry leads George W. Bush by 28 points among likely U.S. Hispanic voters in the latest Zogby poll.

The poll released Monday has Kerry at 59 percent and Bush at 31 percent among the 1,003 likely Hispanic voters surveyed July 15-20.

"The movement has not been huge either way since our March poll showing Kerry leading 58 percent to 38 percent," pollster John Zogby said. "The problem is that the direction went away from the president and toward Kerry.

"The president's people are still saying that he will get 40 percent to 42 percent of the Hispanic vote, but this poll does not give him much hope. In addition to Kerry moving closer to where he needs to be -- Al Gore won 62 percent in 2000 and the Hispanic vote will be in larger numbers this time -- there are only 6.5 percent," undecided, meaning there is, "not much room for either candidate to grow."

The poll conducted for the Miami Herald has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.2 percent.