Washington ? Americans are growing more optimistic about the economy and that shift is beginning to improve President Bush’s standing with voters, according to an Associated Press poll.

People are increasingly comfortable about job security for themselves and for those they know. And more approve of the way Bush is handling the economy, according to the poll conducted for the AP by Ipsos-Public Affairs.

The president’s re-election numbers have improved slightly, with 41 percent saying they will definitely vote for him and 36 percent definitely against him. One in five is considering voting for someone else. In mid-November, people were evenly split, 37 percent for and against.

“I’m mulling over what I’m going to do in the next election,” said Eydee Nelson, 32, a mother of two young girls in Fort Collins, Colo. “I feel like the economy is picking up. That definitely makes me more sympathetic to the president’s re-election.”

Baby boomers, college graduates and men in general were among the groups more likely to show signs of increased optimism in the AP-Ipsos poll.

If the economy continues to improve, Bush is expected to benefit.