Both Democratic candidates have 46% to 44% margins over McCain

Gallup Daily: Obama 51%, Clinton 40% Both Democratic candidates have 46% to 44% margins over McCain

PRINCETON, NJ -- Barack Obama is maintaining his lead over Hillary Clinton among Democrats nationally in the latest Gallup Poll Daily tracking, with a 51% to 40% margin in the April 12-14 average.

The current 11 percentage point lead is the largest for Obama this year, and marks the ninth consecutive day in which Obama has led Clinton by a statistically significant margin. The current Gallup Poll Daily tracking average is based on interviewing conducted Saturday, Sunday and Monday -- after the initial reports of Obama's controversial remarks about "bitter" small-town residents began to be reported in the news media.

The two candidates will hold a nationally televised debate in Philadelphia on Wednesday night, and it is possible that this confrontation -- plus any delayed impact of Obama's controversial remarks -- may affect Democratic voters' perceptions in the days to come. (To view the complete trend since Jan. 3, 2008, click here.)

In general election trial heat match ups, both Democratic candidates now have identical, and slight, 46% to 44% margins over presumptive Republican nominee John McCain. -- Frank Newport

Survey Methods

For the Gallup Poll Daily tracking survey, Gallup is interviewing no fewer than 1,000 U.S. adults nationwide each day during 2008.

The Democratic nomination results are based on combined data from April 12-14, 2008. For results based on this sample of 1,312 Democratic and Democratic-leaning voters, the maximum margin of sampling error is ±3 percentage points.

The general election results are based on combined data from April 10-14, 2008. For results based on this sample of 4,446 registered voters, the maximum margin of sampling error is ±2 percentage points.

In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.

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