Poll says Obama losing some Dems

PRINCETON, N.J., Aug. 27 (UPI) -- U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama may be struggling to hold onto some Democratic supporters, a poll indicates.

Support for Obama among all Democratic registered voters fell from 81 percent in early August to 78 percent during Aug. 18-24 telephone polling of 888 people nationwide. Obama's Republican support during this period also dropped from 9 percent to 7 percent, while 42 percent to 43 percent of independents continued to back him, the Gallup Poll reported.

Obama's losses appear mostly among a small group of Democrats who describe their political views as conservative. The 63 percent of that group supporting Obama over Republican John McCain is the lowest figure Obama has earned since clinching the Democratic nomination in June. There have been no similar drops in support for Obama among liberal or moderate Democrats.

Overall, recent weekly averages of Gallup Polls indicated the presidential race tightening just prior to the Democratic National Convention and the announcement of Sen. Joe Biden as Obama's running mate. Latest poll figures indicate the presidential race tied at 45 percent, with a 1 percentage point margin of error.