Obama Losing Footing in Key Swing States

President Barack Obama’s lead in the key battleground states of Florida, Ohio, and Virginia is slipping and has now dropped below the 50 percent level normally viewed as safe, a new NBC-Marist poll shows.

In Florida and Virginia Obama leads likely Republican nominee Mitt Romney 48 percent to 44 percent among registered voters and in Ohio the president is ahead 48 percent to 42 percent. In March Obama led Romney by 12 in Ohio, 17 in Virginia, and was ahead by eight percent in a January Florida survey.

NBC News reported that Obama is benefiting from a belief the economy has improved. The poll found that majorities in all three states felt that the worst of the poor economy is behind us. Obama is also being aided by a feeling he inherited the poor economy. In Florida, 56 percent hold that belief and 57 percent feel that way in Ohio and Virginia.

However, the president is being hurt by a sense the country is on the wrong track. In Ohio, 55 percent believe the country is on the wrong track, 57 percent in Florida, and 58 percent in Virginia.

The poll surveyed over 1,000 registered voters in each state from May 17 to 20.