Washington ? President Bush opens the fall campaign with a slight lead over Democratic Sen. John Kerry, an Associated Press poll shows, as voters express growing confidence in the direction of the country and the performance of the incumbent.

Seven weeks before Election Day, the Republican is considered significantly more decisive, strong and likable than Kerry, and he has strengthened his position on virtually every issue important to voters, from the war in Iraq and creating jobs — two sources of criticism — to matters of national security and values.

Since the Democratic National Convention ended in late July, the president has erased any gains Kerry had achieved while reshaping the political landscape in his favor: Nearly two-thirds of voters think protecting the country is more important than creating jobs, and Bush is favored over Kerry by a whopping 23 percentage points on who would keep the United States safe.

“If we don’t take care of the terrorists, we certainly won’t have to worry about the economy,” said Janet Cross, 57, of Portsmouth, Ohio, who switched from Democrat to Republican for the last election.

Among those most likely to vote, the Republican ticket of Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney holds a lead of 51 percent to 46 percent over Kerry and Sen. John Edwards, with independent Ralph Nader receiving 1 percent.

The AP-Ipsos-Public Affairs poll showed minorities, urban residents and other Democratic voters unified behind Kerry, as would be expected in the fall. But he lost ground in virtually every other demographic group: lower educated voters, suburbanites, rural voters, the middle class, married couples and baby boomers.

Many voters seemed to be retreating to Bush’s camp after flirting with the Democrat, whose nominating convention focused almost exclusively on his Vietnam War record. For example, those in the GOP-leaning South narrowly favored Kerry in early August, but now support Bush 58 percent to 38 percent.

Veterans and other supporters watch as President Bush listens to a question from the audience during a campaign rally at Shawnee State University in Portsmouth, Ohio.

Among all registered voters, Bush-Cheney led the Democratic ticket 51 percent to 43 percent, a modest bounce in support since early August, when Kerry-Edwards led 48-45 percent.

The reversal is the result of a month of GOP-inspired criticism of Kerry’s war record combined with a Republican National Convention scripted to undercut the Democrat’s credibility.