Obama McCain Presidential Race Polls.
Here are the latest national general election polls in the 2008 presidential race between Barack Obama and John McCain. Presidential match-up surveys for the head-to-head race will be updated daily from Gallup, Rasmussen, Reuters, Zogby, Survey USA, CNN, CBS News and others including the daily tracking polls.
This polling compilation will be updated daily and the link will be conveniently located in the sidebar.
All summer long the race has been tight. National polls have alternatively shown Obama and McCain tied or more commonly Obama slightly ahead, with a few polls showing the McCain ticket leading. Most of the polling were done before the conventions so we can throw them out now. People are finally beginning to pay attention to the election.
So now the race is on. Both parties have had their conventions and their historic speeches. We will know next week if the “Palin bounce” has wiped out the “Obama bounce” from the week before, and where things generally stand in the Obama McCain race.
Regardless of the short term, however, expect the election to be close all the way to election day in November.
Update 9/7/08 – The first Zogby poll after the RNC convention clearly shows a McCain-Palin bounce in which they have topped 50% for the first time. Gallup confirmed the Palin convention bounce with a result that is outside their margin of error, while USA today shows a 10 point lead among likely voters We can say that John McCain has surged ahead in the general election, although we expect the race is still very close.
National Election Polls (McCain Obama)
The latest general election polls are below.
Gallup Daily Tracking (9/5 – 9/7/2008)
Barack Obama – 44%
John McCain – 49%USA Today / Gallup (9/7/08)
(likely voters)
Barack Obama – 44%
John McCain – 54%USA Today / Gallup (9/7/08)
(registered voters)
Barack Obama – 46%
John McCain – 50%Zogby (9/4 – 9/6/2008)
Barack Obama – 46%
John McCain – 50%ABC News / Washington Post (9/5 – 9/7/2008)
Barack Obama – 47%
John McCain – 49%CNN (9/5 – 9/7/2008)
Barack Obama – 48%
John McCain – 48%Rasmussen Daily Tracking (9/4 – 9/6/2008)
Barack Obama – 48%
John McCain – 48%Gallup Daily Tracking (9/3 – 9/5/2008)
Barack Obama – 47%
John McCain – 45%Rasmussen Daily Tracking (9/3 – 9/5/2008)
Barack Obama – 49%
John McCain – 46%Hotline / FD Tracking (9/2 – 9/4/2008)
Barack Obama – 46%
John McCain – 40%CBS News (9/1 – 9/3/2008)
Barack Obama – 42%
John McCain – 42%CNN (8/29 – 8/31/2008)
Barack Obama – 49%
John McCain – 48%
Presidential Election Polls 2008









September 6th, 2008 at 9:02 pm
I still say the election is going to be a sweep for McCain/Palin – as bad or worse for the dems than the Mondale embarrassment.
September 6th, 2008 at 11:20 pm
Michael Moore said on Larry King’s show last night that he didn’t believe the polls, that he thinks that Obama is way, way ahead.
Rush Limbaugh is predicting a landslide for McCain.
I am predicting…McCain, in a very close election that is just a suspicious as the last two, and I move to British Columbia.
September 7th, 2008 at 1:13 am
I am predicting a landslide for McCain.
If I had to guess now, I would say it would be on the order of Bush-Dukakis. His numbers, and polling are pretty comparable to that election.
September 7th, 2008 at 1:26 am
I keep pounding the same point home, I feel. So far Obama has not shown anything that differentiates himself from Democrats of the past. The DNC bounce of 6 to 8, the slight lead in August, the loss of that lead in september, it all leads to the same conclusion, unless there’s a guy named Perot involved.
September 7th, 2008 at 6:41 am
All these folks aint really saying nothing about the issues, Obma is a little tiny bit, but it seems like Palin and McCain just mantra stealing when they need to talk about N. Korea rebuilding nukes like North Korea has fallen off the map
September 7th, 2008 at 10:14 am
Today:
Gallup +3 for McCAin
Rasmussen tie.
September 7th, 2008 at 10:43 am
Got a link for that, friend?
September 7th, 2008 at 11:18 am
I’m hearing poll won’t really settle in until Mon/Tues. That said, I’m mostly interested in the state-by-state which will take a while to get a good picture…
W
September 7th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
Here’s the link:
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/latestpolls/index.html
That’s a great site for polling data.
Waldo, you’re right, the full measure of the DNC bounce wasn’t felt til Tuesday of last week. Obama was +1 or +2 til Tuesday, when he got bumped to +7 or +8.
So (while I could very well be wrong) it looks like the RNC bounce will probably peak in the next day or two for a modest McCain lead. Then, it’s anyone’s guess.
September 7th, 2008 at 2:19 pm
[...] Custom Search Battleground State Polls National Polls [...]
September 7th, 2008 at 8:09 pm
HOLY $#&$#*($&(*#&!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
McCain is up DOUBLE DIGITS in USA/Gallup.
DOUBLE DIGITS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
September 7th, 2008 at 8:11 pm
http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-09-07-poll_N.htm
September 7th, 2008 at 8:27 pm
Yeah, that’s not surprising if it’s true. There used to be like a 15 pt bounce if I remember right a few elections back…
W
September 7th, 2008 at 8:31 pm
Waldo, weren’t you the one telling me about the average bounce being 6 to 8 points? Granted, this is only one poll, but if other polls confirm, this would be a 16 to 18 point bounce. Obama was +6 to +9 before, and now down double digits. After our discussion, I dug a little into past bounces. 18 points would be without precendent this late in the game. And no candidate has come back from double digits in September.
September 8th, 2008 at 7:31 am
Were going to do it my friends.
September 12th, 2008 at 10:27 pm
If McCain wins, it only shows the stupidity of the American people to have bought another 4 years of horrible leadership. McCain trying to say he’s ‘different’ than his party, when his party “owns” him, and he will be their puppet. If McCain wins, it will indeed be the final nail in the coffin for America. At least with Obama, we have a chance to pull our country out of the mess the last 8 years have landed us in.
September 29th, 2008 at 6:27 am
Kirby, any data to back up that claim?
I’ll admit that deregulation has helped put us in this economic mess, but few saw it coming. Can’t blame Bush for a failed economy. Greedy mortgage lenders, the people overextending themselves, dot-com, etc. have all contributed to this.
Obama is the puppet. The smooth talker who picked a VP that talks too much. Has he ever bucked the Dem line? Have either of them?
Did anyone ever realize that McCain might have picked Palin because she’s a Governor, not a Senator?
Both good and bad, I’ll name the past Presidents, and their previous jobs, and you can see where this is going:
Bush – Governor
Clinton – Governor
Bush Sr – ambassador, director of CIA
Reagan – Governor
Carter – Governor
Ford – Congressman
Nixon – Governor
Johnson – Governor
Kennedy – Congressman, Senator
Eisenhower – 5-star General
Truman – Senator (but his approval was abysmal)
Seems that Governors are chosen more often…
Hmm, Governor – Executive Branch, President – Executive Branch… coincidence?
Regardless, I really cannot vote for a candidate that gives me flowery, but empty words.
If this country truly believes that McCain is just another Bush, then why do September polls show McCain ahead among registered voters, when other parties are also figured in? Remember, Barr and Nader will still get some of the vote, although not much. Obama should be way ahead in the polls…. way ahead. Nobody who has been behind in the September polls has ever achieved the Presidency.
October 6th, 2008 at 8:38 am
so… this site is extremely slanderous and 100% right wing and you guys should really update the polls, I know it sucks when you’re behind and don’t want to show anyone… but seriously. Sara Palin? She lost the debate across the board except for Fox News. Come on People. Dinosaurs and people walking the earth? really?
October 8th, 2008 at 6:30 am
I’m an OBAMA supporter who thinks Mcaine Is also a good candidate. I’m concerned that your doing your canditate an injustice. Leading voters to believe John Mcaine won this debate with those false debate polls.
October 23rd, 2008 at 7:35 am
Nobody has mentioned the “Bradley Effect” on this message board. In case you don’t know what that is: voters “saying” they are voting for Obama…..but “voting” for McCain in the voting booth. I predict that will happen….and I am counting on it. GO McCAIN/PALIN !!!
October 31st, 2008 at 7:16 am
This site is soo funny. How come everyone else is reporting a landslide for obama except “Too afraid to face the truth so more lies to your rank and files. totally pathetic. Obama is going to win this election because he has spunk,intelligence and layed out his platform for change! McSame comes across as old and out of touch. Palin is just a mooseburger beauty queen – the worst vp candidate to date!
October 31st, 2008 at 8:01 am
With these numbers, the margin of error, the continued escalation for McCain, and the fact that dems cant put down their bongs to go vote…
Its starting to look like were going to pull this off after all.
Lets keep our enthusiastic rhetoric to a minimun and let the lefties think they’re still on easy street.
October 31st, 2008 at 9:56 am
Maybe you ought to update your polls a tad. See polls are done on a daily basis and yours are almost 2 months old. Kind a weak guys
March 13th, 2009 at 6:20 am
Wow. Just found this page. What a tasty treat!
I see now that you reporting is as spot on as your election forecasting. Classic!
July 14th, 2009 at 5:59 am
I was going to post something about the abrupt ending to these polls long before the election, but it looks like quite a few beat me to that.