Obama leads McCain in Montana

George Bush won Montana by 20 points in 2004:

Obama leads McCain 48% to 43% in Montana according to the latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey in the state. In April, the numbers were reversed with McCain leading 48% to 43% prior to Obama's clinching the Democratic nomination. Obama won the state primary against Hillary Clinton by fifteen points. Fifty percent (50%) of Montana Democrats want Clinton named as Obama’s running mate. Just 29% of all Montana voters would like to see Clinton as the Vice Presidential nominee.

It would be truly stunning if Obama could turn Montana into a competitive state this November. George W. Bush won Montana’s 3 Electoral College Votes by twenty percentage points in 2004 and by twenty-five points four years earlier. Even Bob Dole managed to win Montana, albeit by a narrow 44% to 41% margin (Ross Perot picked up 14% of the vote).

The last Democrat to win Montana was Bill Clinton in 1992. He did so with 38% of the vote. The first President Bush got 35% of the Montana vote while Ross Perot picked up 26%.

In another possibly bad sign for warmonger McCain, 50% of Montana voters say it’s more important to get the troops home from Iraq than it is to win the War. 44% hold the opposite view and say victory is more important.