New Poll: Commanding Lead For McCain, Chambliss In Georgia

ATLANTA -- With seven weeks remaining before this year's general election, an exclusive SurveyUSA poll conducted for 11Alive, our sister station WMAZ-TV Macon, and the Roll Call newspaper in Washington, shows that the GOP holds a commanding lead in both the US Senate race as well as among Georgians in the race for the White House.

In the poll of likely voters, Republican John McCain holds a commanding 57-to-41 percent lead over Democratic challenger Barack Obama. The poll shows that McCain holds a 3-to-1 lead among white voters in Georgia, while Obama has a 23-to-1 lead among black Georgia voters. The poll shows McCain with a double-digit lead among both men and women, among those of all age groups and educational levels across the rest of the state of Georgia outside of Metro Atlanta.

According to the polling data, Obama's strength in Georgia comes among moderates, where he is up 5 in Metro Atlanta. Obama also leads by 5 points across Metro Atlanta in general. Among pro-choice voters, Obama's lead stretches to 14 points. Among lower-income voters, the two candidates are tied. Among voters who are focused on the volatile economic situation facing the nation, Obama trails McCain by 3 points, but among voters who think alternative sources of energy are more important than off-shore drilling, Obama leads McCain by a 2-to-1 margin.

Incumbent Republican US Senator Saxby Chambliss has a comfortable lead over Democratic challenger Jim Martin and Libertarian Allen Buckley. If the election were held today, Chambliss would defeat Martin and Buckley, 53 percent to 36 percent and 8 percent, respectively. While Buckley's overall polling total was comparatively low, according to the polling data, the third party candidate would receive 22 percent of the vote from independents, 11 percent from those under 50, and 24 percent from those who rarely go to church. The data suggests that Buckley's votes would come primarily from Martin as opposed to Chambliss.

Among likely voters, Chambliss is viewed favorably by 46 percent and unfavorably by 22 percent, while Martin is viewed favorably by 31 percent of likely voters, and unfavorably by 23 percent. In the presidential race, John McCain is seen favorably by 54 percent of likely voters, while unfavorably by 31 percent. Barack Obama is seen as favorable by 41 percent, while unfavorably by 48 percent of likely Georgia voters.

Of those surveyed, 13 percent said they approve of the job that Congress is doing, while 41 percent said they approve of the job that Pres. George W. Bush. Forty-one percent of those surveyed said that oil companies are most responsible for the heightened price of gasoline, while 15 percent blame the president, and 13 percent hang the blame on Congress.

The SurveyUSA poll talked to a total of 900 Georgia voters between Sunday and Tuesday. Of those surveyed, 798 of them were registered to vote, and of those, according to SurveyUSA, 684 of them are thought to be likely voters in this November's general election. Looking backward, Pres. Bush carried Georgia by 17 percentage points in 2004, and by 12 points in 2000. Georgia has a total of 15 Electoral College votes in the general election.

Those surveyed were asked 11 questions, which are as follows:

1 -- If the election for President were today, would you vote for, Republican John McCain, or, Democrat Barack Obama? (the choices were rotated so that neither one was listed first more than the other)

57% McCain (R) 41% Obama (D) 1% Other 1% Undecided

2 -- Georgia will also elect a United States Senator. If the election for United States Senator were today, would you vote for, Republican Saxby Chambliss? Democrat Jim Martin? Or Libertarian Allen Buckley? (as in the prior question, the choices were rotated among the three choices)

53% Saxby Chambliss (R) 36% Jim Martin (D) 8% Allen Buckley (L) 3% Undecided

3 -- Is your opinion of John McCain favorable? Unfavorable? Neutral? Or, do you have no opinion of John McCain?

54% Favorable 31% Unfavorable 12% Neutral 2% No Opinion

4 -- Is your opinion of Barack Obama favorable? Unfavorable? Neutral? Or, do you have no opinion of Barack Obama?

41% Favorable 48% Unfavorable 9% Neutral 2% No Opinion

5 -- Is your opinion of Saxby Chambliss is favorable? Unfavorable? Neutral? Or, do you have no opinion of Saxby Chambliss?

46% Favorable 22% Unfavorable 22% Neutral 10% No Opinion

6 -- Is your opinion of Jim Martin is favorable? Unfavorable? Neutral? Or, do you have no opinion of Jim Martin?

31% Favorable 23% Unfavorable 34% Neutral 13% No Opinion

7 -- Do you approve or disapprove of the job George W. Bush is doing as President?

41% Approve 53% Disapprove 5% Not Sure

8 -- Do you approve? Or disapprove? Of the job the United States Congress is doing?

13% Approve 71% Disapprove 16% Not Sure

9 -- Which one issue should congress focus on ahead of all others? The economy? The environment? Health care? Iraq? Terrorism? The price of gasoline? Education? Immigration? Or some other issue?

46% Economy 1% Environment 9% Health Care 7% Iraq 11% Terrorism 13% Gasoline 4% Education 6% Immigration 1% Other 2% Not Sure

10 -- Who is most responsible for the price of gasoline? Oil companies? Environmentalists? The President? The United States Congress? State policy makers? Foreign governments? Or none of these?

41% Oil Companies 9% Environmentalists 15% The President 13% Congress 2% State Policy Makers 9% Foreign Governments 7% None Of These 3% Not Sure

11 -- If two candidates were running for Congress, and one says that offshore drilling is the best way to solve America's energy problems, and the other says that America needs to identify and promote alternative sources of energy, which candidate would you vote for?

36% Offshore Drilling 52% Alternative Sources Of Energy 11% Not Sure