HAMDEN, Conn., Aug. 26 (UPI) -- Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama leads Republican John McCain in Pennsylvania and is tied with him in Ohio, a poll indicates.
The Quinnipiac University Polling Institute said its polling data also indicates McCain leads Obama in the battleground state of Florida.
Two months ago, Obama led in all three of the states in Quinnipiac polls.
Currently, Obama leads in Pennsylvania, 49 percent to 42 percent, while McCain leads in Florida, 47 percent to 43 percent. In Ohio, they are in a virtual dead heat.
"Eight weeks ago, Senator Barack Obama was on top in all three of these key swing states and that would make his election almost a sure thing. Times have changed and the election is now very much a tossup in these states. Senator Obama needs this convention to give his campaign a jump start," said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.
The Quinnipiac polls were conducted from Aug. 17 to Aug. 24 among 1,069 likely voters in Florida, 1,234 in Ohio and 1,234 likely voters in Pennsylvania. The maximum margin of error is plus or minus three percentage points.
