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Election 2012: Obama, Romney in dead heat – Obama has upper hand
U.S. President Barack Obama and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney. PHOTO/File
(Reuters) – President Barack Obama still appears to have the upper hand in the state-by-state fight to cobble together the 270 electoral votes needed to win the presidency in the November 6 election.
But Romney’s recent surge in the polls after his strong performance in his first debate with Obama on October 3 has propelled the Republican into the lead or within striking distance in enough states to give him a reasonable chance of beating Obama to the finish line.
Ohio, long seen as the key to unlocking the White House, looms large in every victory scenario for either candidate – particularly Romney. Until the last two weeks, polls did not show Romney with enough support in other crucial states to give him a clear path even if he won Ohio.
But he has that now, as the campaign enters its final two weeks with eight states in play as toss-ups.
“Before the first debate the electoral math looked like a real reach for Romney. Today, it looks quite possible,” said Peter Brown, a pollster at Quinnipiac University.
“Ohio is the big unknown, and it’s Romney’s biggest obstacle,” Brown said. “If Romney can win Ohio, he’s likely to win the election.”
The changing map has led Romney to make some shifts in strategy.
