Romney, Obama neck-and-neck after first debate

By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
10/8/2012
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

Voters' preferences are evenly split, according to Gallup poll

According to a new Gallup poll, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has pulled even with President Obama following the first presidential debate. Obama had carried a five-percent lead before the debate, according to the poll. Obama held a 50 percent to 45 percent edge over Romney from September 30 to October 2, the poll shows. But in the three days following the debate, from October 4-6, both candidates were tied at 47 percent.

While Obama still leads, the breakdown between pre- and post-debate margins indicates the debate may have given Romney a much needed boost.

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LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - An overwhelming number of people who watched the debate -- 72 percent, thought Romney had done the better job. Even Democrats agreed Romney performed better by a margin of 49 percent to 39 percent. A slim margin of 20 percent of debate watchers thought Obama performed better.

The poll has set a record for candidate gain. The previous record, according to Gallup, was Bill Clinton's 42 point lead over George H. W. Bush in a 1992 town hall debate. Romney's 52-point win is currently the largest margin Gallup has ever measured.

While Obama still leads, the breakdown between pre- and post-debate margins indicates the debate may have given Romney a much needed boost.

However, a positive jobs report that proved that unemployment dropped below eight percent for the first time in nearly four years may slow some of the momentum Romney gained following the debate.

A separate poll showed that Latino voters' views of the candidates remain relatively unchanged. According to the latest survey from Latino Decisions, a political opinion research firm, Obama still leads Romney among Latino registered voters 72-20 percent. It must be mentioned that the poll was only in the field for one day following the debate.

There are two more presidential debates to come: October 16 in Hempstead, New York, and October 22 in Boca Raton, Florida.

Vice President Joe Biden and Romney's running mate Paul Ryan will debate October 11 in Danville, Kentucky.

In a related poll, a new POLITICO/George Washington University Battleground Tracking Poll, only 73 percent who support Obama say they are "extremely likely" to vote, compared to 86 percent who back Romney. Likewise, 84 percent of Republicans say they are extremely likely to vote, compared to 76 percent of Democrats.

Among those extremely likely to vote, Romney actually leads Obama 52 percent to 46 percent. That's up from a 2-point lead last week. Obama led 50 percent to 47 percent among this group three weeks ago.

� 2012, Distributed by NEWS CONSORTIUM.

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General Intention: The Faith of Christians. That in this Year of Faith Christians may deepen their knowledge of the mystery of Christ and witness joyfully to the gift of faith in him.
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Keywords: President Obama, Mitt Romney, Gallup poll, debate

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1 - 4 of 4 Comments

Rob
7 months ago
Given the growth that was created and disappeared from that decade long real estate fraud, the ever-shrinking manufacturing base and the distaste for any sort of wall street reform, I just can't see how anyone is going to create jobs. I think the income shifts have become too great....just not enough money flowing in the middle class anymore that hasn't flatlined or isn't being eaten up by healthcare cost etc. If Romney pulls this off, he has a big job and sadly doesn't have the same opportunities as Reagan did with taxes. They are already at historic lows.
Vicki M
7 months ago
The catechism of the Catholic Church says that abortion and euthanasia are wrong. Thus, voting intentionally for someone who is going to destroy their morals is wrong. It is morally wrong to vote for Obama who has clearly and actively supported abortion in all stages, including late-term abortion and infants born after a botched abortion. He has forced the HHS mandate onto Catholic organizations to pay for contraception and abortifacients. The Democrats in MA are supporting a bill to enable suicide/euthanasia under the name of "Death with Dignity." For Catholics who say they vote Democrat for social justice reasons, Jesus said to give to Caeser, what is Caeser's- never that it was the role of gov't to provide charity to the needy. Jesus never, ever said it was the role of gov't to do that! We are called as followers of Christ to foster God's values and morals, to take care of the weak and those unable to defend themselves. It is immoral for Obama and the gov't to force us to pay for abortions. It is immoral to vote for Obama and directly grant him this power of destruction in our nation.
john
7 months ago
Robert,
The 700,000 thousand lost jobs a month during G.W. Bush was nothing to be proud of by your standard. Were they nothing fo familys to live on either?
Robert Burford
7 months ago
The reduction in unemployment is nothing to be proud . The jobs created were low end jobs. Nothing that can give families an income to live in this economy.

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