Obama leads in poll of Iowa voters

WASHINGTON, Nov. 19 (UPI) -- Sen. Barack Obama has overtaken Sen. Hillary Clinton in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination in Iowa, an ABC-Washington Post poll indicates.

The poll released Monday shows Obama, D-Ill., with 30 percent support, compared with 26 percent for Clinton, D-N.Y., among likely Democratic caucus voters. Former Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., was third with 22 percent and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson came in fourth with 11 percent. Obama's figures are up 8 percent since July, the Post said.

The poll found Obama and Clinton in a dead heat among women voters (32 percent versus 31 percent)

Asked to choose their top priorities, 55 of the 500 Iowans queried between last Wednesday and Sunday said they are looking for a "new direction and new ideas," while 33 percent said they're looking for "strength and experience."

Forty percent of those polled said they think Clinton is the most electable of the Democrats, compared to 25 percent for Obama and 22 percent for Edwards.

The Iowa caucuses are scheduled for Jan. 3. The poll had an error rate of 0.5 percent.