Kerry can beat Bush - poll

WASHINGTON, Jan. 24 (UPI) -- American voters currently prefer Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, the Democratic frontrunner, to President George W. Bush, a Newsweek poll suggests.

"Kerry ... leads the pack of Democratic contenders among registered voters as the candidate who would have a better chance of beating President George W. Bush if the election were held today," the magazine said. "A Kerry-Bush match-up would have Kerry up by 49 percent to Bush's 46 percent."

The poll's findings are likely to further fuel Kerry's surging momentum in the Democratic primaries race. Polls give him leads of 13 to 20 percent in New Hampshire, which votes Tuesday.