October 20, 1999
Web posted at: 1:09 p.m. EDT (1709 GMT)

Bill Bradley has closed the gap in the Iowa race for the Democratic presidential nomination against Vice President Al Gore, according to a poll released Tuesday.

Gore had the support of 43 percent of those responding, to 40 percent for Bradley, who is a former U.S. senator from New Jersey. Seventeen percent of respondents were undecided in the survey taken last week for KCCI-TV in Des Moines. The sample of 303 likely Democratic caucus voters has a margin of error of 6 percentage points.

Previous polls have shown Gore with a double-digit lead in Iowa.

On the Republican side, Texas Gov. George W. Bush retains his frontrunner status in Iowa. He had 38 percent support from likely GOP caucus participants. Publisher Steve Forbes finished with 17 percent; former Cabinet secretary Elizabeth Dole, 13 percent; conservative activist Gary Bauer, 9 percent; commentator Pat Buchanan, 5 percent; former Reagan administration official Alan Keyes, 5 percent; Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah, 1 percent; and Sen. John McCain of Arizona, 1 percent.

Eleven percent of the Republicans were undecided. The GOP sample of 306 likely caucus participants had a margin of error of 6 percentage points.

Among all likely Iowa voters, Bush led Gore in a hypothetical match-up by 52-40, with 8 percent undecided. Bush led Bradley by 48-43, with 9 percent undecided.

When Buchanan, who has hinted at leaving the GOP, is included as a third-party contender, Bush's lead decreased. Bush received 46 percent, Gore got 41 percent and Buchanan took 7 percent in a three-way contest. Six percent of those polled were undecided.

The margin of error for the data from all likely voters was plus or minus 4 percentage points.

Louisiana moves up

Louisiana Republicans announced Tuesday that they intend to hold their presidential caucuses on Jan. 15, 2000, nine days before Iowa's. Earlier this month, Iowa politicians had moved their caucuses up to Jan. 24, so that they could maintain the event's importance as the first major step in the presidential nominating process. In 1996, Louisiana officials also held earlier caucuses than Iowa, but most candidates stayed away from Louisiana, dimming the attention paid to its event.

This article provided by Des Moines Register.com

Wednesday, October 20, 1999

• Dole quits presidential race
• Key Democrat alleges 'anti-minority sentiment' in GOP
• Clinton signs housing bill as budget negotiators talk numbers
• Des Moines Register: Bradley gains Iowa support
• NHPrimary.com: Gun control advocates take aim at Bush
• Workers with disabilities get support from legislation
• Senate tries again to pass late-term abortion ban
• Campaign finance debate may be mixed blessing for McCain
• Democrats accuse GOP of stalling on gun control
• Lugar sees a third straight farm bailout
• AmeriCorps participants join Clinton on fifth anniversary of program
• Modest tax break extension moving in Senate
• House lawmakers debate funds for poor students
• Trump, Maples divorce gets uglier
• Court strikes down NYC anti-fraud checks for AIDS welfare recipients

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