Rhode Island: Obama 55%, McCain 31%

The first national Rasmussen poll in Rhode Island has Barack Obama ahead by 24 points: 55% to 31%.

Rhode Island is a very blue state as it went for Clinton by 18% in ‘92 and 33% in ‘96. It went for Gore by 29% in ‘00 and for Kerry by 21% in ‘04.

So it is not surprising that Obama has a strong lead there. But it is very reassuring for Obama and his supporters as it shows how little he will need to play “defense” in solid blue states. Meanwhile, McCain is showing weakness in some usually deep red states such as Montana (Bush beat Kerry by 20%) and North Dakota (Bush beat Kerry by 27%) where Obama is actually ahead by 5% and 4% in the latest polls.

Obama is also ahead (although by very slim margins) in the latest polls in Virginia. Virginia hasn’t gone Democratic at the Presidential level since LBJ’s landslide victory over Barry Goldwater in 1964.

2008, Polls, Rasmussen