Poll Finds Dukakis’ Lead Dwindling to 46%-41%

Democrat Michael S. Dukakis’ lead over Republican George Bush in the Gallup Poll has faded as the focus of the race moves from the presidential primaries to the party conventions.

In a survey conducted Friday through Sunday night, the Massachusetts governor had a narrow 46%-41% lead over the vice president among registered voters nationally. Two previous Gallup surveys had showed Dukakis with more substantial advantages of 52% to 38% and 54% to 38%.

The findings of a major new Gallup survey for Times Mirror Co., released Tuesday, found Dukakis leading 53% to 40%. That survey divided voters into distinct groups that took party identification and basic political values and orientations into account. The candidate preferences now being expressed relate more strongly to opinions about the parties and the Reagan Administration than they do to perceptions about the candidates.

Dukakis has had a sizable early lead because of the unusual degree to which all the major Democratic constituencies have supported him in test elections against Bush. But this honeymoon period may be drawing to an end as Dukakis’ support among self-identified Democrats has declined to 78% from 85% since the last survey.