McCain-Palin Team Finds Its Poll Bounce

There is growing evidence of a post-convention bounce in the national polls for the Republican presidential ticket of Sen. John McCain and Gov. Sarah Palin. A number of recent polls show them with a lead over Democrats Sens. Barack Obama and Joe Biden.

Gallup Daily Tracking Poll today has McCain with a 5-percentage-point lead.

John McCain’s support among registered voters increased six percentage points from immediately before the GOP convention to immediately after. That convention bounce leaves him with a five-point lead over Barack Obama in the latest Gallup Poll Daily tracking update, 49% to 44%.

Rasmussen Reports Daily Tracking Poll today has McCain edging to a statistically insignificant one-point lead over Obama.

In the first national polling results based entirely on interviews conducted after the Republican National Convention, McCain attracts 47% of the vote while Obama earns 46%. When "leaners" are included, it’s McCain 48% and Obama 47%.

Last Tuesday, Obama’s bounce peaked with the Democrat enjoying a six-percentage point advantage. Before the two conventions were held, Obama had consistently held a one or two point lead over McCain for most of August.

Real Clear Politics' average of polls has McCain up by 3.2 percentage points.

In a poll released yesterday, self-described likely voters told CBS/Gallup that they favored McCain 54 percent to 44 percent.

Most pollsters attributed McCain's gains to a traditional post-convention bump in popularity, as well as Palin's performance in her speech at the convention, which was well received by social conservatives and evangelicals.