Gore in Statistical Dead Heat with Bush: New Poll! [View All]

[Tennessee Gal]

Draft Gore: Gore in Statistical Dead Heat with Bush, Leads All Democrats in Zogby/Draft Gore Poll

OAKLAND, Calif., Sept. 11 /U.S. Newswire/ -- For the first time since the 2000 elections, a major poll shows the country split evenly between former Vice President Al Gore and President Bush. The same poll also shows that half the voters in America have not forgotten the controversy of the 2000 election.

The results of the Sept. 5-9 Zogby poll show Bush with less than majority support and only with the narrowest of margins over Al Gore, 48 percent to 46 percent -- a difference that's within the poll's margin of error (3.2 percent). Moreover, Gore leads Bush among independent voters by 47 percent to 43 percent.

"More than two and a half years after the 2000 election and we are back where we started," said pollster John Zogby. "The country was evenly divided then and it is still evenly divided."

The poll, conducted on Sept. 5-9 by Zogby International for Draft Gore (draftgore.com), also shows Gore easily leading all major contenders for the Democratic nomination with 24 percent less than compared to 16 percent for Dean, 12 percent for Lieberman, 11 percent for Kerry, 7 percent for Gephardt, and 2 percent for Edwards.

"These results are stunning, considering that Al Gore is the only potential candidate who1s been out of the limelight since last December," says Draft Gore Chair Monica Friedlander. "The strength of support and staying power Gore enjoys clearly indicate that he has an excellent chance of beating George Bush in 2004. We're confident that results such as these will persuade Vice President Gore to enter the race and lead the Democratic Party to victory in 2004."

None of the other Democratic contenders could hold Bush to less than 50 percent in a similar Zogby poll conducted one week ago. Howard Dean, Gore's closest competitor and widely considered the frontrunner among declared candidates, lagged 10 points behind Bush (42 percent to 52 percent).

"Gore is clearly the most electable candidate," says Bill McCormack of Draft Gore. "What's the 2004 election about if not winning? Four years ago at this time Bush held a lead of more than 10 points over Gore, and Gore still won the popular vote in 2000. Now they start even, and the undecided vote tends to break in favor of the challenger. Gore is in a perfect position for 2004."

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=136-09112003