Mr George W. Bush holds a slim three-point lead over Democratic rival Mr John Kerry ahead of next week's presidential election, according to a poll released today.
Mr Bush led Mr Kerry by 49 to 46 per cent in the latest three-day national Reuters/Zogby tracking poll, maintaining a stable lead on the Massachusetts senator as the White House rivals head down the stretch.
With the campaign winding down, the poll added voters leaning toward either Mr Bush or Mr Kerry into their totals for the first time. That left only about 3 per cent of likely voters undecided.
The national poll showed independent candidate Mr Ralph Nader, blamed by some Democrats for drawing enough votes from Mr Al Gore to cost him the election in 2000, with the support of 1.1 per cent of likely voters.
"If Kerry, as suggested, is looking to undecideds, look again - there may not be enough left," pollster Mr John Zogby said.
Mr Bush's three-point lead is identical to the three-point margin he had over Mr Gore in the tracking poll at the same stage of the disputed 2000 election.
Mr Kerry still has big leads among key Democratic constituencies such as African Americans and union members, but he now trails Mr Bush among women, youth and seniors.
The number of likely voters who thought Mr Bush deserved re-election, 48 per cent, was equal to those who wanted someone new. Mr Bush's presidential performance was rated as excellent or good by 48 per cent, and 51 per cent said it was only fair or poor.
Mr Bush had one-point leads in the key states of Ohio and Florida, while Mr Kerry had a three-point edge in Pennsylvania. All three results were within the poll's margin of error.
Ohio, Florida and Pennsylvania and their combined 68 electoral votes are the biggest prizes remaining among toss-up states as the rivals try to reach the 270 electoral votes needed to win the White House.
About 5 per cent of likely voters are still undecided heading into the final full week of the campaign, but Mr Bush has opened up a 12-point lead among independents.