Democrat Barack Obama has opened a 6-point lead over Republican rival John McCain in the US presidential race, according to a Reuters/C-SPAN/Zogby poll released today.
Mr Obama leads Mr McCain by 49 percent to 43 per cent among likely US voters in the latest four-day tracking poll, his widest lead since the poll was started on Tuesday. It was up from a 4-point lead on Saturday. The poll has a margin of error of 2.9 percentage points.
Pollster John Zogby said Obama's lead was now statistically significant.
"As we watch each day, it is clear that he has gone from a 2-point lead to a 3-point lead on up to 6 points," Mr Zogby said. "It is certainly trending his way."
With just over three weeks to go before the November 4th election, the poll showed Obama gaining traction among independent voters who now back him by a 21-point margin.
Among women, another crucial group, the Illinois senator held a solid 12-point lead, while the two candidates were tied among male voters at 45 percent apiece.
Obama has widened his lead as weeks of economic turmoil shook financial markets, causing stock markets to plunge and fueling voter concern over pocketbook issues.
Young voters aged 18 to 29 backed Obama by a 20-point margin, and he also held a double-digit lead among those who reported they had registered to vote in the past six months.