Barack Obama hit the 50 percent threshold for the first time Tuesday in the Gallup daily tracking poll. The poll found that since the Democratic convention, Obama has risen 5 percentage points in the polls and now leads John McCain 50 percent to 42 percent. While an improvement from 49 percent to 50 percent is statistically insignificant, the 50 percent mark holds significance for a party seeking to win its first majority since 1976, when Jimmy Carter won with 50.1 percent.

Rasmussen reports Obama now leads McCain 51 percent to 45 percent. CBS News has Obama ahead 48 percent to 40 percent.