Barack Obama has expanded his lead over John McCain in Missouri to six percentage points.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey in the state finds Obama with 52% of the vote while McCain is supported by 46%. Earlier this week, Obama was on top 50% to 47%.

Obama leads among voters who earn less than $60,000 a year while McCain has the advantage among those who earn $60,000 to $100,000 a year. Those with higher incomes are evenly divided (see full demographic crosstabs).

Overall, Obama is now viewed favorably by 57%, McCain by 56%.

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Nationally, with the steady drumbeat of bad economic news, Obama has opened a stable lead over McCain in both the Rasmussen Daily Presidential Tracking Poll and the Electoral College projections.

Take a moment to predict who you think will win Missouri’s Electoral College votes.

Thirty-eight percent (38%) of voters in Missouri blame the Bush Administration for the economic crisis, 27% blame Congress, and 11% point to the Clinton Administration. Some look beyond the political realm-12% say Wall Street is to blame while 7% say the American people are at fault.

Only 22% agree with the rescue plan passed by Congress while 52% disagree. Only 33% say that plan will help the economy. Twenty-three percent (23%) believe it will hurt and 25% believe the $700 billion taxpayer investment will have no impact.

Fifty-one percent (51%) believe that raising taxes on those who earn more than $250,000 a year will be good for the economy. Thirty-one percent (31%) believe such a tax hike would hurt.

On other matters, 86% believe that English should be spoken at all government meetings in Missouri.

Rasmussen Markets data currently gives McCain a 36.9% chance of winning Missouri’s 11 Electoral College votes this fall.
George W. Bush won the state by seven points in Election 2004 and by three points four years earlier. But Missouri remains a “Toss-Up” in the Rasmussen Reports Balance of Power Calculator. NOTE: Factors other than the latest Rasmussen Reports poll impact the Balance of Power ratings. The current status is indicated on the table in the upper right hand corner of this article.