Brazil's Rousseff rises in poll, ties with Serra

SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Brazil's ruling party candidate Dilma Rousseff rose in an opinion poll for October's presidential race, tying top opposition contender Jose Serra, figures showed on Saturday.

Rousseff won 37 percent support in the Ibope poll, up 5 percentage points from a survey in April. Serra, of the PSDB party, also garnered 37 percent support. But his figures were down 3 points from April.

Former Environment Minister Marina Silva of the Green Party had 9 percent of voter intention, unchanged from April.

The poll took place this week after Serra and Rousseff appeared on nationally televised political programs and radio shows to present their agendas.

Rousseff, from the Workers' Party, has been gaining ground on Serra in other recent polls, thanks to an improving economy and support from outgoing President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. His administration was considered good or excellent by 75 percent of people in the survey.

The survey polled 2,002 people from Monday to Thursday in 141 cities and had a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points. It was sponsored by O Estado de S. Paulo newspaper and Globo TV.

(Reporting by Elzio Barreto; Editing by Xavier Briand)