Two national polls have shown the race between President George W. Bush and Democrat Mr John Kerry for the US presidency is deadlocked.
In polls certain to buoy the spirits of anxious Democrats, the Pew Research Centre and Harris Interactive found equal levels of support for the White House contenders as Mr Kerry rebounded from the withering attacks he faced at the Republican convention.
The president has made headway in key swing states, however.
The new surveys followed two other polls in recent days, by Investor's Business Daily and a Democratic group, Democracy Corps, that found the race essentially even again, just as it was for months before the two parties held their nominating conventions.
"Some of the negative attacks against Kerry are wearing off and he has stayed in the game because people are discontent with Bush on Iraq and the economy," said Mr Andrew Kohut, director of the Pew Research Centre for People and the Press.
"Unfortunately for Kerry, he's been unable to tap into that unhappiness, especially on Iraq," Mr Kohut said, noting Bush still beats Kerry 52-40 per cent on who was favoured to lead the war in Iraq. "It's a mixed picture for Kerry, but that's better than what he had a few days ago."
Several other recent polls have shown Mr Bush, who bounced to a double-digit lead in two polls after the Republican convention, holding a four- to seven-point lead over Kerry.
A flurry of new state polls showed the president moving ahead in key states such as Florida and Nevada and challenging Mr Kerry in Democratic strongholds like New Jersey.
"We went through a period for months where there was no air between these candidates in the polls . . . and now it's the opposite," Mr Kohut said. "I think it shows the voters are unsettled, their thoughts about Kerry are unsettled and they are going back and forth."