Riding support from women, blacks and younger voters, Democratic Sen. Barack Obama holds a 12-point lead over Republican Sen. John McCain among likely Pennsylvania voters in the race for the White House, according to the latest Quinnipiac University poll released this morning.

The results are part of the Quinnipiac University poll conducted simultaneously in Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania asking likely voters their opinions of 2008 presidential hopefuls.

Sen. Obama, who holds a 52 to 40 percent edge over Sen. McCain, leads in almost every demographic group except men, said Clay F. Richards, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. Sen. McCain holds a narrow lead among likely men voters, 47 to 45 percent.

White voters in the state prefer Sen. Obama, 47 to 44 percent.

"Obama now leads in all three critical swing states polled by Quinnipiac University, with smaller margins in Ohio and Florida than he has in Pennsylvania," Mr. Richards said.