A new Los Angeles Times poll finds that re-election support for President Bush in 2004 has dropped below 50%.

"The share of Americans favoring President Bush's reelection in 2004 has fallen below 50%, while Sens. Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut and John F. Kerry of Massachusetts have emerged as the leaders for the Democratic nomination...."

"...the new results suggest that the close partisan balance that defined American politics before the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks is slowly reasserting itself. The fall in the percentage of voters committing to support Bush's reelection parallels a decline in his job approval rating since last fall and the return of sharp divisions along party lines about his performance."

And the best news of all..."Former Sen. Gary Hart of Colorado, who is exploring a candidacy, and North Carolina Sen. John Edwards tied for third, each with 8%."

The losers: "Sen. Bob Graham of Florida, who has said he is likely to enter the Democratic race, and Rep. Richard A. Gephardt of Missouri, who will formally announce his candidacy later this month, drew 6% each. Trailing the pack were African American activist Al Sharpton, with 2%, and former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, with 1%."

For more on the poll analysis, read "Bush is Not the Stealth Candidate He Was After 9/11," here. Excerpts from the polling data are here.