President Barack Obama is holding a five-point lead over GOP challenger Mitt Romney in Colorado. A new poll of likely voters by Keating Research, Inc.,
Onsight Public Affairs and Project New America shows Obama ahead 49 to 44 percent.
The poll is one of a number of recent polls that show Obama in the lead in a handful of crucial swing states that, in addition to Colorado, include Florida, Ohio, New Hampshire and Virginia.
A previous poll by the firm had Obama up by four in Colorado. The latest poll, the first in the state since the conclusions of the political conventions, shows Obama gaining with independents.
“The fact that the race for Colorado is still very close may be the only good news for Mitt Romney coming out of the conventions,” Mike Melanson, senior partner at OnSight Public Affairs, said in a statement. “Romney needed to improve his likability, but it appears Coloradans find him less likable than they did before the convention. Meanwhile, Obama has made significant gains among unaffiliated voters and maintained a solid lead among women.”
Among independent voters, Obama has improved from a 50 percent to 36 percent margin in August to a 55-32 percent advantage in the latest poll.
“President Obama’s numbers are up among unaffiliated voters suggesting that the Democratic convention helped him connect with Colorado’s critical voting bloc,” Jill Hanauer, CEO of Project New America, said. “The favorability gap between the President and Romney represent a key advantage going forward.”
The poll is the latest good news for Obama. Three new NBC News/Wall Street Journal/Marist polls show Obama ahead in critical swing states of Florida, Ohio and Virginia.
In Florida and Virginia Obama is ahead by five points, leading Romney 49 to 44 percent. In Ohio, he leads by seven points, 50 to 43 percent.
A new WMUR Granite State Poll conducted by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center showed Obama leading in New Hampshire among likely voters 45 percent to 40.
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