Palin affect in the polls now

For all the criticism of the choice of Sarah Palin,it now appears that John McCain's decision to put the Alaskan governor on the ticket may just be the move that propels the Republicans into having a better chance than many expected of challenging for the White House.

The latest poll of polls covering the period July to the end of August puts McCain slightly ahead of Obama by 46.7 points to 45.7 whilst the latest poll from USA today puts the gap at a staggering 10 points

McCain leads Democrat Barack Obama by 50%-46% among registered voters, the Republican's biggest advantage since January and a turnaround from the USA TODAY poll taken just before the convention opened in St. Paul. Then, he lagged by 7 percentage points.

Gallup's daily meanwhile has McCain taking the lead over the weekend on 48 points to Obama's 45.

Where the Palin effect is really taking the lead is in the Republican base states where voters were wavering over the Liberal views of McCain.The abortion issue in particular.

Alec MacGillis writes in the Washington Post of the State of Virginia where

The reaction has been remarkably instantaneous, with socially conservative voters who had barely heard of Palin electrified by the few facts they quickly learned: her longtime membership in the Assemblies of God, the largest Pentecostal denomination; her large family; her opposition to abortion even in cases of rape and incest; her decision to carry to term her fifth child after learning he has Down syndrome; and her belief in teaching creationism alongside evolution in public schools.