Barack Obama has expanded his lead over John McCain in Washington and now leads the GOP hopeful by a dozen points.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey in Washington finds Obama ahead 52% to 40%. When “leaners” are included, Obama leads 54% to 42%.

Forty-five percent (45%) believe that most reporters are trying to help Barack Obama win the election while just 10% believe they are trying to help McCain. Those assessments are similar to the views of voters nationwide.

Obama attracts 89% of the Democratic vote while McCain is supported by 90% of Republicans. Among unaffiliated voters, Obama leads 53% to 41%.

Last month, Obama enjoyed a nine-point lead.

Obama is viewed favorably by 57% of Washington voters, McCain by 52%. Those figures are down slightly for both men over the past month.

Nationally, the race between Obama and McCain remains close in the Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll.

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Washington has cast its eleven Electoral College votes for Democratic candidates in the last six elections. In 2004, John Kerry took the state by a 53% to 46% margin.

Rasmussen Markets shows that Democrats are currently given a 87.0% chance of winning Washington in November. At the time this poll was released, Washington was rated “Likely Democratic” in the Rasmussen Reports Balance of Power Calculator. NOTE: Factors other than the latest Rasmussen Reports poll impact the Balance of Power ratings. The current status is indicated on the table in the upper right hand corner of this article.

Forty-six percent (46%) of Washington voters say the U.S. and its allies are winning the War on Terror while 24% believe the terrorists are winning. Nationwide, confidence in the War on Terror is at the highest levels of the past four years.

President George W. Bush earns good or excellent ratings from 32% of Washington voters, while 54% say he is doing a poor job. Nationally, the President’s approval ratings are barely above all-time lows.