Poll: Oregon leaning toward Kerry

PORTLAND, Ore., May 17 (UPI) -- Whether the general election is a two- or three-man race, U.S. Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., leads President George W. Bush in Oregon.

The latest Portland Tribune poll has Kerry at 50 percent versus 46 percent for Bush in a head-to-head contest. Kerry also leads if liberal independent Ralph Nader is included among the choices, but his support drops 3 points to 47 percent. Bush drops 1 point to 45 percent when Nader, who polled 3 percent among the likely voters surveyed, is included in the mix.

The survey, conducted May 6-8 of 603 likely voters by Research 2000 for the Tribune, has a margin of error of plus of minus 4 percent.