Newswise — In the most recent George Washington University Battleground Poll, Sen. Barack Obama leads Sen. John McCain (47%-40%). Eleven percent remain undecided. The disapproval rating for Congress is 74%. The economy is the most important issue among registered "likely" voters (41% compared to 7% for the war in Iraq).

Republican pollster The Tarrance Group and Democratic pollster Lake Research Partners are conducting weekly tracking polls to analyze voter attitudes. This bipartisan George Washington University Battleground 2008 Poll surveyed 1,000 registered "likely" voters nationwide Oct. 9, and Oct. 12-15, 2008, and yields a margin of error of + 3.1%.

The George Washington University is the sponsor of the GW-Battleground Poll. The University's role in the poll is guided by its Graduate School of Political Management. The University is recognized as having some of the most politically active students in the nation in the 2009 Princeton Review.

In the 2004 presidential election, the George Washington University Battleground Poll had the distinction of being the most accurate national poll predicting the presidential election outcome. First conducted in 1991, the polls have gained widespread recognition as reliable, leading indicators of national opinions and voters' intentions. The national polling program is unique to the industry because it offers the distinct perspective of two top pollsters from different sides of the political aisle.

GW-Battleground Poll data are available at http://www.tarrance.com, http://www.lakeresearch.com, or http://www.gwu.edu/~newsctr/battleground.cfm.

The GW-Battleground Poll archives since 1991 are at GW's Gelman Library and can be accessed at http://aladinrc.wrlc.org/handle/1961/2000.