Poll: McCain leads among white churchgoers

WASHINGTON, Sept. 5 (UPI) -- Republican U.S. presidential nominee John McCain leads Democratic rival Barack Obama by a 2-to-1 margin among churchgoing white voters, a poll indicated.

The Gallup poll, conducted by telephone Monday through Wednesday -- the first three days of the Republican National Convention -- said McCain's summer-long lead among non-Hispanic white voters who attend church on a weekly basis had not fluctuated significantly in the first three days of September, Gallup reported Friday.

The poll of 2,771 registered voters suggests McCain continues to lead Obama among those voters by a more than 2-to-1 margin, but his support did not increase significantly following the announcement of his running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

Gallup said the group makes up about 33 percent of non-Hispanic white registered voters.

The poll had a 2 percent margin of error.