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Poll: Obama nips McCain among Catholics

File photo of presumptive Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., dated June 17, 2008. (UPI Photo/Aaron M. Sprecher)
1 of 2 | File photo of presumptive Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., dated June 17, 2008. (UPI Photo/Aaron M. Sprecher) | License Photo

PRINCETON, N.J., June 26 (UPI) -- Catholics and Hispanics identifying themselves as Catholics favor Sen. Barack Obama over Sen. John McCain in the U.S. presidential race, a poll indicates.

Among Catholics, the likely Democratic presidential nominee holds a 47 percent to 42 percent edge over his presumptive Republican challenger, a Gallup Daily Poll released Thursday indicates.

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Obama also has an advantage over McCain among Jewish voters, 62 percent to 29 percent, and people who indicated they are not affiliated with a religion, 65 percent to 25 percent.

McCain is favored among Protestants -- 48 percent to 41 percent -- and Mormons -- 70 percent to 23 percent -- pollsters from the Princeton, N.J., firm said.

Results are based on aggregated Gallup Poll Daily tracking data from June 5-23. Obama averaged a 46 percent-to-43 percent lead over McCain among all registered voters polled during this period.

Obama's appeal among minority voting blocs helped to push him ahead of McCain among Catholics, pollsters said. In the aggregate data, about one in seven Catholic registered voters report being of Hispanic ethnicity, and prefer Obama 66 percent to 25 percent for McCain. Among non-Hispanic Catholics, McCain has a 46 percent to 43 percent edge.

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Obama's overwhelming support among blacks keeps him within striking distance of McCain among Protestant voters. White Protestants back McCain 56 percent to 32 percent, while non-white Protestants favor Obama 77 percent to 15 percent.

Results are based on telephone interviews with 14,913 registered voters. The total sample has a margin of error of 1 percentage point. Margins of error for specific subgroups range from 1 percentage point to 7 percentage points.

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