The selection of Sarah Palin as a running mate has given a major impetus to the campaign of Republican presidential hopeful John McCain, according to the latest poll.
The poll, released on Wednesday by the Wall Street Journal and NBC, shows that the Palin factor has lifted enthusiasm among McCain's supporters.
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It shows that a majority of voters are comfortable with the idea of the first term Alaska governor as vice-president despite the national debate over whether she is experienced enough for the job.
McCain's decision to pick a woman as his running mate was designed, in part, to win over some of those voters, the Journal noted.
It says that Palin effect helps explaining why McCain is now even with his Democratic rival Barack Obama in the head-to-head race.
The Journal survey found that 46 per cent of registered voters favoured Senators Obama and Joe Biden, while 45 per cent supported the McCain-Palin ticket.
The poll was taken on Saturday -- two days after the end of the Republican National Convention in St Paul, Minn -- through Monday night. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.3 percentage points, meaning either candidate could be slightly ahead.
The survey also holds good news for Obama, as more voters said they were comfortable with him as president than they did in a Journal poll three weeks ago.
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Despite Senator McCain's progress, the poll shows Obama voters remain more enthusiastic about their candidate, with 55 per cent saying they are excited, up from 46 per cent in August.