New Poll: Thune 50%, Daschle 48%

From The Hotline:

A Public Opinion Strategies (R) poll, conducted 8/24-26 for the NRSC, surveyed 500 likely voters; margin of error +/- 4.4% (NRSC release, 8/31). Tested: Sen. Tom Daschle (D) and '02 GOP nominee John Thune.

General Election Matchup

Thune 50% 62% Fav/29% Unfav
Daschle 48% 61% Fav/35% Unfav
Don't Know/Other 2%

Pollster Glen Bolger: "In the nearly two months since he has gone on the air, Thune has closed the gap, even in the midst of a challenging national political climate. John Thune's message of independence and standing up for [SD] values has reminded voters why they like him, and has translated into a strong showing on the ballot test" (release, 8/31).