A new poll released on Tuesday by Quinnipiac University showed that Clinton now leads Obama by 50 to 44 percent among the likely primary voters her stronghold of Pennsylvania.
Hillary had a lead of 50 to 41 percent in the poll conducted only a week earlier on 2nd April.
Should Obama gain another point or two, it would become a stiff fight between the two candidate locked in a fierce battle for the party nomination for November Presidential elections.
In the close Democratic race, Obama leads Clinton in the delegate count 1,621 to 1,499. To win the party nomination, one of them must get 2,025 delegates.
The poll showed that over the past week Clinton's margin of support among women supporters fell to 54 to 41 percent from 54 to 37 percent.
"With two weeks to go, Obama is knocking on the door of a major political upset in the Pennsylvania Democratic primary. Obama is not only building on his own constituencies, but is taking away voters in Clinton's strongest areas whites including white women and those who say the economy is the most important issue in the campaign," Assistant Director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute Clay F Richards said.
"The economy was supposed to be Clinton's ace in the hole in Rust Belt states such as Pennsylvania, but Obama is holding a good hand too," Richards said.
"The Pennsylvania primary is like a game of horseshoes: Obama needs only to come close to be considered the winner taking away, perhaps fatally, Clinton's argument that she is the candidate best able to defeat Sen. John McCain in critical swing states like Pennsylvania," Richards added.
The poll showed that Clinton was also losing ground among the White voters with 56 percent supporting her down from 59 percent last week and Obama increasing his standing to 38 percent from 34 percent last week.
Obama led among black voters, 75 percent favour the Illinois senator while 17 percent back Clinton.
Obama now enjoys support of 48 percent men compared to Clinton's 44 and this compares with 46-46 tie last week.
The poll finds that he is maintaining his lead among young voters with 55 percent under-45 opting for him compared to 40 percent for Clinton.
But older voters still back Clinton (55 to 38 percent).
Obama leads 55 to 37 percent among Philadelphia voters and 53 to 42 percent in the Philadelphia suburbs.
According to 52 percent of the Pennsylvania voters, the economy is the single most important issue in deciding their primary vote whereas 22 percent think the war in Iraq is more important.
Voters who list the economy as their top issue give Clinton a small 49 -45 percent margin over Obama, down from 53 - 39 percent.
Clinton and Obama are engaged in a tight fight to amass enough delegates to win the party's nomination and contest the Presidential election in November against Republican rival John McCain.
Source: DDNEWS
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