July 23 (Bloomberg) -- Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry heads to his party convention next week leading or about even with President George W. Bush in states considered battlegrounds in the November election, polls released this week show.
Kerry, a four-term U.S. senator from Massachusetts, leads 47 percent to 41 percent in 18 states where the presidential vote is expected to be closest, the Washington-based Pew Research Center found in a July 8-18 survey. A month ago Bush had an 11 point lead, according to Pew. A Fox News poll July 20-21 showed Kerry trailing 41 percent to 42 percent in 15 ``battlegrounds'' states.
Nationwide surveys show Kerry, 60, leading Bush, 58, by 2 percentage points, according to polls by Pew, USA Today/Cable News Network and the Los Angeles Times. Bush is ahead by 1 percentage point in a national poll by Fox and 2 percentage points in a Wall Street Journal/NBC survey. All are within the margin of error. Majorities of likely voters told pollsters they ``strongly'' support their candidate, meaning Bush and Kerry are competing for about one in six voters who say they are undecided or may change their minds.
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