A rising number of US voters would replace US President George W. Bush in the 2004 elections, a new poll said, while Bush is in a statistical dead heat with Democratic hopeful Wesley Clark.

Fifty percent of voters would replace Bush, according to the Newsweek poll, up three percentage points from 47 percent in a similar poll conducted September 25-26.

Clark was preferred by 44 percent of registered voters and Bush by 47 percent -- a dead heat in a poll with a three-percentage-point margin of error.

Clark topped the list of Democratic challengers, followed by Joseph Lieberman with 13 percent support, Kerry with 11 percent, Dean with 10 percent and Gephardt with eight percent.

Bush's weak spot, the economy, was a priority for 44 percent of those polled. The president's strong suit, national security, was more important for 16 percent of respondents.

Forty-nine percent disapproved of Bush's handling of Iraq, the highest percentage so far on a Newsweek poll, while 44 percent approved.

Princeton Research Associates conducted the poll among some 1,004 adults on October 9 and 10.

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