News
Election 2012: Obama, Romney in dead heat – Obama has upper hand
In states where Romney has made gains, they have been fueled in part by improvements in his personal favorability ratings, gains with independents and a reduction in Obama’s large lead among unmarried women voters.
Romney advisers said the first debate eased the concerns of some voters in swing states who have been bombarded for months by attack ads portraying the Republican as an out-of-touch multimillionaire with little sympathy for the middle class.
“People are getting a lot of information and what they’re seeing is very much at odds with the ads that have run,” the Romney adviser said. “That has been the biggest impact.”
The Obama campaign is counting on what polls show is strong support from the growing Hispanic community to make a difference in Nevada and Colorado, although the level of intensity and voter turnout among Hispanics will be a wild card.
Any gains for Obama among Hispanics could be offset, however, by what polls have found is decreased support among the young and first-time voters who helped sweep Obama to victory over Republican John McCain in 2008.
Most national polls show Obama and Romney deadlocked. A Reuters/Ipsos daily online tracking poll on Saturday gave Obama a 1-point national advantage. Ipsos projects the president will win 315 electoral votes.
In such a close race, any surprise development during the final two weeks could loom large.
