Barack Obama has a 50 percent to 42 percent lead over Hillary Clinton in Gallup’s new daily tracking poll conducted March 25-27. The margin of error is 3 percent. Gallup notes that this is the first time Obama has opened a statistically significant lead over Clinton since before the controversy over his ex-pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright. As we’ve noted in recent CQ Politics stories, the tide seems to have shifted to Obama after he underwent a brutal first half of March, and now polls are signaling some significant weaknesses for Clinton.

In general election match-ups, for which voters were sampled March 22 and March 24-27, John McCain leads Clinton 48 percent to 44 percent and Obama by 46 percent to 44 percent. The margin of error is 2 percent.

Rasmussen Reports’ daily tracking poll shows some different results. Obama leads Clinton by a statistically insignificant 2 points. McCain leads both Democrats, Clinton by 49 percent to 41 percent and Obama by 49 percent to 42 percent. As other polls have been showing this week, Clinton is suffering from some pronounced negatives with 53 percent viewing her as unfavorable against 45 percent who are favorable.

See how these compare to other recent national polls.