Poll: McCain gains momentum, enthusiasm

PRINCETON, N.J., Sept. 8 (UPI) -- Republican presidential candidate John McCain has pushed past Democrat Barack Obama in the first post-conventions survey, Gallup Poll results indicate.

While Obama held a 47 percent-to-43 percent after the Democratic Convention in Denver, McCain has turned the tables, taking a 4-percentage-point advantage among registered voters, 50 percent to 46 percent, the Gallup Poll released Monday said.

Gallup said the recently ended Republican convention in St. Paul, Minn., and the selection of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as McCain's running mate not only moved momentum in McCain's direction, but increased the level of enthusiasm for the GOP.

The percentage of Republicans saying they are more enthusiastic about voting in this election, jumped from 42 percent a week ago to 60 percent Monday. The Democrats' lead in this category fell from 19 points in the Democrats' favor a week ago to 7 points in the recent polling.

Gallup results were based on telephone interviews with 1,022 adults conducted Saturday through Sunday. The margin of error is 3 percentage points.