The Press-Register/University of South Alabama poll released Sunday shows McCain, a U.S. senator from Arizona, holding a 52 percent to 25 percent lead over his Democratic counterpart, Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois, The Huntsville (Ala.) Press-Register reported.

That's down a bit from the last Alabama poll conducted in March, before McCain and Obama had been officially nominated by their parties. At that time, McCain held a 57 percent to 30 percent lead over his Democratic rival, the newspaper said.

USA Polling Group Director Keith Nicholls said the slight fall-off could be due to voters who are not ready to vote for Obama, but still are wavering in their support for the Arizona senator because they don't see him as the best steward for the country's troubled economy.

The poll surveyed 406 registered likely voters Sept. 8-15 and a had margin error of 5 percent.