CAMPAIGN ’88 : Polls Boding a Close Bush-Dukakis Race

Results of a Harris poll released Monday indicated a tightening presidential race, with Massachusetts Gov. Michael S. Dukakis a slim 5 points ahead of Vice President George Bush.

The size of the Dukakis lead fell within the poll’s margin of error and was slightly smaller than his 7-point advantage in a Harris poll released last month. Dukakis had a double-digit lead in some other May surveys.

The new Harris poll, conducted by telephone June 1-6, found 49% supporting Dukakis, who has clinched the Democratic nomination, and 44% for Bush, the Republican campaign winner; 7% were unsure.

Lou Harris & Associates contacted 1,258 likely voters; the margin of sampling error in its survey was plus or minus 3 percentage points.

A USA Today-Cable News Network poll, conducted June 7-9 and reported last week, also showed a slim lead for Dukakis, 6 points.

Pollsters have said that Dukakis’ recent strength in the polls was based in part on positive publicity from his string of Democratic primary victories that continued well after the Republican race was settled.