A majority of likely voters in Connecticut backs President Bush’s call to topple Iraq’s Saddam Hussein, according to a poll published Saturday.

The poll, commissioned by The Day of New London, Journal Inquirer of Manchester and Waterbury Republican-American, shows that 54 percent of likely voters in Connecticut support a military effort to remove Saddam from power.

Thirty-nine percent of those surveyed oppose a strike against Iraq.

In addition, 59 percent of those polled rate Bush’s job performance as “good” or “excellent,” while 36 percent said it was “fair” or “poor.”

Five percent of likely Connecticut voters said they are “not sure” about how they would rate Bush.

Split between the two sexes, Bush earns support from 64 percent of men and 54 percent of women.

Among Connecticut’s five congressional districts, support for Bush ranged from 52 percent in the 1st Congressional District to 65 percent in the 2nd and 4th Districts.

On the issue of a possible Iraqi war, men favored congressional authorization for military action by 59 percent to 35 percent. Support among women was 49 percent, while 43 percent were opposed.

Republican voters back authorization for a military strike by 62 percent to 30 percent and Independent voters support an invasion, 55 percent to 38 percent.

Democrats oppose the use of force, 49 to 45 percent.

The poll was conducted between Sept. 30 and Oct. 3 by Research 2000 of Maryland, which surveyed 602 likely voters. The margin of error was 4 percent.

–Associated Press