Republican Sen. John McCain has cut into Sen. Barack Obama's lead in the presidential race among Pennsylvania voters, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released this morning.

Mr. Obama holds a 49 to 42 point lead, which is down from the 12-point edge the Democratic senator held June 18 in the last poll.

"One reason for Sen. McCain's narrowing the gap is partly energy policy, especially high gasoline prices," said Clay F. Richards, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

"McCain says he favors off-shore drilling to increase gas supply, a position backed by 60 percent of Pennsylvania voters, but opposed by Obama. And Pennsylvania voters now say, 56 to 35 [percent] that the energy policy is more important in the campaign than the Iraq war," Mr. Richards said.

Quinnipiac University polls conducted simultaneously in Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania asking likely voters their opinions of 2008 Presidential hopefuls, their wives and energy policies.