WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Actor Michael J. Fox trumps radio talker Rush Limbaugh 3-to-1 in popularity, but their public dispute involving stem cell research does not appear to have swayed many Americans on the issue, according to a new CNN poll.

The survey, conducted by Opinion Research Corporation, found 54 percent of Americans support federal funding for stem cell research. That's up 3 points from August, but within the poll's sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Three-quarters of respondents said they have a favorable opinion of Fox; only 26 percent felt that way about Limbaugh, while a majority, 58 percent, said they have an unfavorable opinion of the conservative talk-show host.

Fox, who suffers from Parkinson's disease, did a commercial last month for Missouri's Democratic senatorial candidate Claire McCaskill, who supports federal funding for research on embryonic stem cells.

Limbaugh, on his program, commented on the extent to which Fox was shaking in the commercial, and suggested the 45-year-old was "either off his medication or acting." Limbaugh said he would apologize if proven wrong.

For CNN's coverage of the midterm elections, check out America Votes 2006