Oct. 2 (Bloomberg) -- Democratic presidential candidate John F. Kerry regained his lead in a Newsweek Magazine poll over U.S. President George W. Bush following their Sept. 30 debate.

Kerry, a four-term Senator from Massachusetts, and his vice presidential running mate, Senator John Edwards of North Carolina, led Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney 49 percent to 46 percent, if voters were not allowed to consider independent candidate Ralph Nader as an option, Newsweek said in a release.

The poll of 1,013 registered voters has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points. In a three-way race with Nader, the poll gave the Democratic ticket 47 percent support, compared with Bush-Cheney's 45 percent and Nader's 2 percent. Princeton Survey Research Associates interviewed voters by telephone over the past two days for the poll, the magazine said.

The Newsweek poll also included the views of 770 respondents who watched the debate two days ago. Of these, 61 percent said Kerry won and 19 percent said Bush was the winner. Sixteen percent said there was no winner or that the men's performances were about even. That group's margin of error was plus or minus 4.1 percent.

``Polls go up and down,'' said Kerry campaign spokesman David Wade. ``What's most important is that in a debate that George Bush demanded, John Kerry proved to America he would be a more efficient commander in chief.''

Latest Shift

The lead has shifted between Kerry and Bush several times this year, according to results provided by Newsweek. Of registered voters interviewed on Sept. 9 and 10, 49 percent favored Bush, with 43 percent for Kerry and 2 percent for Nader.

Kerry last led the Newsweek poll in a survey done July 29 and 30. That survey of 1,010 registered voters found Kerry and led Bush 52 percent to 44 percent. The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points. Kerry lost his lead after the Republican National Convention in New York at the end of August.

Bush had the support of 54 percent of the 1,008 registered voters surveyed Sept. 2 and 3, compared with 43 percent support for Kerry. Nader polled 3 percent. The poll has a margin of error of 4 percentage points, Newsweek said.

``There are a lot of polls out right now, but given that there are only 30 days to go to the election, we prefer our candidate's record and message'' to Kerry's, said Reed Dickens, spokesman for the Bush campaign.

To contact the reporter on this story: Kerry Dooley in Washington kdooley@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: October 2, 2004 18:34 EDT