New York: American voters prefer a Democrat in the White House by a wide 50 per cent to 37 per cent margin, a just-released poll shows. But when choosing between Republican contender John McCain and either Democratic candidate, the results are a statistical tie, capturing the conflict felt by voters.

Releasing the Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll result, the daily noted that rarely have the stars aligned so squarely against the party in power in elections for the White House as it has for Republicans. Ultimately, voters choose a person for president, not a party, and McCain seems to give Republicans a fighting chance, it said.

Measures of the candidates appeal in the poll help explain why Democrats nationally are deadlocked between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. While Clinton has an edge with voters on experience and leadership, Obama rates higher than ever on traits such as likeability that reflect a greater connection with voters, the poll shows.

"The compass points due north for the Democrats as the party of change," said Peter Hart, the Democratic pollster who, with Republican Bill McInturff, conducts the Journal/NBC surveys. "But for each of the three presidential hopefuls, the compass settings are much less definitive." A couple findings in the new poll, the Journal said, capture how conflicted Americans are. By a 13-point margin, 50 per cent to 37 per cent, registered voters say they would prefer a Democrat to be elected president.

When asked to choose specifically between McCain and either Democrat, the results in each case are a statistical tie, the poll shows.

Source : PTI