ALBUQUERQUE, Oct. 6 (UPI) -- A public-opinion poll shows Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry has converted a 3-point deficit into a 3-point lead over President Bush in New Mexico.
A new poll by the Albuquerque Journal conducted Oct. 1-4 -- after the first presidential debate -- shows 46 percent of respondents choosing Kerry and 43 percent choosing Bush. Eight percent were undecided.
"The debate played a major role in Kerry's ascension not only in New Mexico but nationwide. Our poll of a month ago detected the beginning of Bush's momentum, and now this poll happened to be done at a time where Kerry is enjoying some post-debate momentum. It could just as well rubberband in the next few days. We haven't seen the end of the momentum swings in this race," said Brian Sanderoff, president of Research and Polling Inc., which conducted the Journal poll.
The poll of 872 registered voters had a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
Bush held a 45 percent to 42 percent over Kerry in the Journal's previous poll, conducted Aug. 27 to Sept. 1.
