Obama moves up in 3 biggest swing states

HAMDEN, Conn., Oct. 1 (UPI) -- Barack Obama gained ground in the three largest swing states, Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania, a poll released Wednesday indicates.

Every winning candidate for president since 1969 has carried at least two of the three.

While voters in all three states told the Quinnipiac Polling Institute that the debate Friday between Obama and Republican John McCain didn't affect their preference, far more voters said they thought Obama won the debate.

In Florida, Obama led McCain 49 percent to 43 percent before the debate. His lead increased to 51-43.

In Ohio, Obama moved from a 49-42 lead to 50 percent-42 percent.

Pennsylvania voters shifted from favoring Obama 49 percent-43 percent to 54-39.

"It is difficult to find a modern competitive presidential race that has swung so dramatically, so quickly and so sharply this late in the campaign," said Peter Brown, the insitute's assistant director.

Quinnipiac surveyed 1,161 likely voters in Florida before the debate, 1,203 in Ohio and 1,138 in Pennsylvania, with margins of error of 2.8 or 2.9 percent.

After the debate, 836 voters were surveyed in Florida, 825 in Ohio and 832 in Pennsylvania, all with margins of error of 3.4 percentage points.