Two days ago President Obama was caught talking candidly to outgoing Russian president Dimitri Medvedev, unaware that a microphone was on. “This is my last election. After my election I have more flexibility,” Obama told the Russian president, sounding confident that he would win the election in November.
The latest poll numbers in three swing states, including Florida, vindicate Obama’s confidence.
According to Quinnipiac University polls released today, Obama tops Mitt Romney in Florida by a comfortable 49-42 margin. He also beats Santorum by 50-37 percent. In Ohio, Obama beats Romney 47-41, and Santorum 47-40. The race is closer in Pennsylvania, where Obama beats Romney 45-42, which remains within the margin of error, but Obama beats Santorum in Santorum’s home state, 48-41, further suggesting that a Santorum nomination would signal almost certain defeat for Republicans in November.
“President Barack Obama is on a roll in the key swing states. If the election were today, he would carry at least two states. And if history repeats itself, that means he would be re- elected,” said Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. “But the election is not today. It is seven months away. Two months ago President Obama and Gov. Mitt Romney were in a statistical tie in Ohio and Florida,” Brown added.
He continued: “The biggest reason for the president’s improving prospects probably is the economy. Roughly six in 10 voters in all three states think the economy is recovering. Moreover, voters blame the oil companies and oil-producing countries for the rise in gasoline prices and only about one in six voters blame them on President Obama. Although the lead Romney had over Obama in trial matchups late last year has disappeared, he remains the stronger of the two major GOP contenders. Voters in Pennsylvania still see Romney as better able than the president to fix the economy and both Romney and Obama are stronger than Sen. Rick Santorum on that measure in each state.
Obama’s numbers in Florida have see-sawed. In January, Obama and Romney were tied, 45-45, in a head-to-head contest in Florida. Weeks earlier Romney had actually led Obama, 46 to 43. The primary battle between the Republican contenders has bloodied them in voters’ eyes, downgrading their electability to Obama’s advantage. But those advantages tend to vanish once a party picks its nominee and the two contenders engage in the head-to-head battle in earnest.
Obama’s overall job approval has improved somewhat in Florida, to 47 percent, with 49 percent disapproving. But 50 percent of respondents say Obama deserves to be reelected.
Voters describe candidate positions on these issues as important in their vote:
- The economy – 90 percent “extremely important ” or “very important;”
- Unemployment – 81 percent;
- The 2010 healthcare law – 78 percent;
- The federal budget deficit – 76 percent;
- The war in Afghanistan – 67 percent;
- Gas prices – 66 percent;
- Immigration – 55 percent;
- Women’s reproductive health issues – 48 percent;
- Social issues such as abortion and gay marriage – 39 percent.
The economy is in a recession, 68 percent of voters say, but 57 percent say it is beginning to recover. Romney would do a better job on the economy, 48 percent of voters say, while 45 percent pick the president, but Obama tops Santorum 50 – 39 percent on this issue.
Oil companies are most to blame for gas prices, 32 percent of voters say, while 23 percent blame oil-producing countries most; 18 percent blame Obama and 16 percent blame supply and demand.
Florida voters oppose 54 – 36 percent releasing oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to curb rising gas prices.
“Despite the focus on social issues such as same-sex marriage and women’s reproductive health, these issues are lower priorities for the voters,” Brown said.
JIM.R says
Pointless , what difference will it make who is President.
We will continue on out slide into an authoritarian, fascist police state, destroying our earths environment,making war on defenseless countries in the middle east and elsewhere, and lowering the living standards at home.
Yeah let’s all do our duty and run to the polls to elect a Rep or a Dem, what a joke.
B. Claire says
Between…
* http://www.barackobama.com/news/entry/23-months-of-job-growth?source=blog_ems [ According to new jobs numbers released this morning, the economy added 257,000 private-sector jobs last month, making January the 23rd consecutive month of private-sector job growth.]
* 14 points ahead with women [Republicans Pass Bill Forcing Vaginal Probes]
* 14 points ahead with Hispanic voters [show us your papers]
* Rick Scott the least popular Gov. in the United States of America
* Conservative Presidential candidates out of Clown College School of Campaigning
…things are looking pretty good for the President.
But the election is 8 long months away …
Vote Obama!
B. Claire says
More…on why Republicans/Conservatives need to stop VOTING AGAINST THEIR OWN SELF-INTEREST. Yikes…it’s not rocket science. You’re killing the middle class…of which 99% of us used to belong!
The superrich have grabbed the bulk of the past three decades’ gains.
http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/02/income-inequality-in-america-chart-graph
GOP says
God help us if Obama is reelected.. He’ll destroy what little we have left of and has been known as the good old USA..
I'm Not Saying...I'm Just Saying says
Under a second term of Obama: Rich get richer, middle class erodes, poor get poorer. Gas prices continue to rise, military action continues in the Middle East, people will still be denied health care. Medicare and SS will spend itself into oblivion on the aging Baby Boomer population, leaving people under 40 with no chance of benefiting from the programs they paid into for 25 years.
Under Romney or Santorum: Rich get richer, middle class erodes, poor get poorer. Gas prices continue to rise, military action continues in the Middle East, people will still be denied health care. Medicare and SS will spend itself into oblivion on the aging Baby Boomer population, leaving people under 40 with no chance of benefiting from the programs they paid into for 25 years.
Such a hard decision.
JIM.R says
Why is it so hard for Democrats to see and evaluate Obama on what he does, not what he says?
palmcoaster says
@B.Claire. You got it right!
cynthia says
Both of my comments have “mysteryiously” disappeared. Talk about a LEFT WING RADICAL on-line news media. You people are no better then Bill Maher.
[No cynthia, your comments have not mysteriously disappeared. They were held back for being gratuitously rude to other commenters. Please read our comment policy.FL]
GOP says
B.Claire. You are so wrong and have been brain washed by this silver tongued person who is trying to make us all muslims.
Layla says
Case closed. We will continue to ROT because of those who refuse to vote. And soon we will lose the right to vote, just like many of the countries our immigrants came from, because of laziness.
Greece in two years or less.
GOP says
Jim R. Hes all show and no go.. His mouth is the only thing he has going for him.. Just like a used car salesmen.. Would you buy a car or a country from him..
B. Claire says
Now exactly how has President Obama “tried to make you a Muslim’?
palmcoaster says
There are only three things I resent about President Obama:
One: wasting his first two years trying to get Republican Congress and Senate consensus and support for passing his bills proposals. It is just so much you can lead a horse to water….
Two: he did not end yet all wars as he promised.
Three: he does not demand yet that the Oil Trade Commission enforces the trading limits approved by law on the oil future contract trades that makes the Wall Street Powers that Be, gazillonaire, while bleeding us by the gouging at the pump and indeed with inflation in everything else. He needs to pay attention to Senator Bernie Sanders and right now.
http://current.com/community/93687453_senator-bernie-sanders-tells-it-like-it-is-about-gouging-us-at-the-gas-pump.htm
If he at least Obama addresses right now the Commodities Oil Future Trade Commission and bust their chops, he gets my vote. Because the gas price will drop well over a dollar and half. They are stealing our non renewable resource oil for export, and stick it to us at the pump as well. Can we all see the historic all time high quarterly revenue for the oil baron corporations? Or are we all blinded?
I'm Not Saying...I'm Just Saying says
Really? He’s ‘tried to make us all Muslims?’
Based off what exactly? All the land he’s taken from the Catholic Church to build mosques? Make everyone take off for Ramadan as a national holiday?
Oh, right. There was an Islamic symbol on a stamp about a year ago. That must be what ‘GOP’ is referring to.
Just an FYI, ‘GOP.’ Just because now other religions are afforded the same treatment that Christians and Jewish organizations have gotten for YEARS doesn’t mean you’re being ‘discriminated’ against, nor does that mean there is a ‘War on Christianity.’
GOP says
Palmxcoaster If you think back, his first two years there was a libral controlled congress.. How soon they forget or maybe admit it was an Obama congress. Poloci said on the bill for Obama care, we have no idea what’s in this bill, we’ll look at it after it’s approved.. Now tell me how STUPID is that..
john says
you must be in fairy land,