Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton leads Barack Obama by 7 percent in a new nationwide poll of party voters, USA Today reported.

The USA Today/Gallup survey was taken after the controversy reignited over comments by Obama's former pastor, Reverend Jeremiah Wright, the newspaper said. Illinois Senator Obama led New York Senator Clinton by 10 points in support nationwide in a similar poll two weeks ago, USA Today said.

The new poll marks the first time that Clinton has been ahead in three months. Clinton also was seen as the stronger Democrat to beat John McCain, the presumptive Republican presidential candidate, by 5 percent points, USA Today said.

The USA Today/Gallup nationwide poll, conducted May 1-4, included 516 Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents, the newspaper said. The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 5 percentage points, USA Today said.

By Nadine Elsibai, Bloomberg, May 5, 2008