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Election 2012: Obama leading in swing states despite Romney post-debate surge
U.S President Barack Obama (l) and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney
Mitt Romney got a poll boost from his strong debate performance against President Barack Obama but it is too early to know how significant or lasting the bounce for the Republican challenger will be.
Gallup’s September 30-October 6 poll of registered voters across the nation showed Obama had a five-point lead over Romney in the three days before last Wednesday’s presidential debate.
But in the three days after the debate, that lead had melted away and the two candidates were tied at 47 percent apiece.
Obama still had a three-point edge, 49 to 46 percent, in Gallup’s seven-day rolling average ending Saturday, which included polls before and after the debate.
“Even on this basis, the race has become somewhat more competitive compared with before the first debate,” Gallup said.
“Obama held four- to six-point leads in Gallup’s seven-day tracking results in the eight days prior to the October 3 debate.”
A separate national poll by the Pew Research Center conducted in the days after the debate showed Romney backed by 49 percent of likely voters and Obama with the support of 45 percent.
