Clinton Maintains 20-Point Lead In New Poll

WASHINGTON (AllPolitics, June 19) -- A new poll shows President Bill Clinton maintaining a 20-point lead over GOP rival Bob Dole, in contrast to another national survey last week that showed the presidential race tightening.

According to a new ABC News-Washington Post survey, Clinton has a 55-35 percent lead over Dole. A CNN-TIME survey last week suggested a much tighter race, with only a six-point difference between the two men (Clinton ahead of Dole, 49-43 percent).

A CNN-TIME pollster, Hal Quinley, said last week's survey may have recorded a temporary burst of public sympathy for Dole following his emotional farewell to the Senate. He resigned to focus on his White House bid on June 11 and the CNN/TIME interviewing was conducted June 12 and 13.

"I think we probably got a one- or two-day blip on the radar screen," said Quinley of the polling firm Yankelovich Partners.

The ABC-Post poll surveyed 1,019 people, including 796 registered voters, from June 14 to June 18. Both surveys had a margin of sampling error of +/- 3.5 percentage points.

The survey found independents favor Clinton by 22 percentage points, women by 31 points and men by 10 points.

Clinton Maintains 20-Point Lead In New Poll

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