The big news in the latest NewsmaxZogby Tracking Polls in three swing states is that Mitt Romney has for the first time taken the lead in Virginia — and by a comfortable 4-point margin.
The GOP challenger, who trailed President Barack Obama by more than 1 point in the 3-day survey completed as recently as Sunday, now leads Obama 49 percent to 45 percent in the poll of 829 likely voters completed on Monday.
Obama led by 3 points in the poll completed on Oct. 23.
“Today’s numbers reveal why the lead in Virginia has changed in the last few days,” says pollster John Zogby.
“Only 42 percent of likely voters now feel Obama deserves to be re-elected, while 50 percent say it is time for someone new. Romney has pulled into a small lead among independents, 44 percent to 39 percent.”
In Florida, on the other hand, Obama has regained the lead over Romney. The Republican led by 2 points in the earlier poll completed on Sunday, but Obama is now clinging to a 1-point lead.
“The president won a squeaker in 2008 and his base looks solid: 68 percent of Hispanics and 86 percent of African-Americans,” says Zogby. “He has tightened up the race in the I-4 Corridor and leads among independents, 54 percent to 37 percent, and among Catholics, 51 percent to 43 percent — all of that to get to a 1-point lead.”
In Ohio, Obama’s lead has held steady at 4 points, 49 percent to 45 percent.
“Obama seems to be pulling away among independents with a 15-point lead,” says Zogby. “And he is comfortably ahead among 18-to-29-year-olds, 60 percent to 39 percent.”
Despite the president’s downturn in Virginia, Zogby adds, “the silver lining for Obama is if there are two states to be leading, best that they be Ohio and Florida.”
The NewsmaxZogby poll is a joint venture between Newsmax and New York State-based pollster John Zogby. Tracking polls are being conducted in Ohio, Florida, and Virginia, and nationally right up to Election Day.
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