Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are in a statistical dead-heat in Indiana, according to a poll conducted April 23-24 by Gauge Market Research and Howey Politics Indiana. The numbers are Obama 47 percent to 45 percent over Clinton, with 8 percent undecided and a 4.1 percent margin of error. That contrasts with a survey by Public Policy Polling released yesterday showing Clinton up by 8.

In the favorability ratings, Clinton is viewed unfavorably by a 42 percent to 37 percent margin with 20 percent neutral. Obama is viewd favorably by 41 percent to 34 percent with 24 percent neutral, while John McCain has a 47 percent to 25 percent favorability rating with 27 percent neutral.

Overall, Indiana voters are divided at 43 percent each about whether to stay in Iraq or pull out. However, Democrats want immediate withdrawal by an overwhelming 71 percent to 15 percent margin.

And, if there was any doubt, the favorite college or university sports team among Hoosiers is Indiana university, by far, with 37 percent in its camp, compared to 20 percent for Purdue. Notre Dame didn’t even get out of single digits. Unlike Iraq, the numbers for the Democrats are pretty similar to the overall statewide results.