Romney takes slight lead in new Gallup poll

In its first daily tracking poll of likely voters, Gallup found that Mitt Romney holds a slight lead nationally over President Obama, 49 percent to 47 percent. The poll was conducted from Oct. 2-8, mostly following the first presidential debate on Oct. 3.

Among all registered voters surveyed for its daily tracking poll, Gallup reported today that Mr. Obama still holds a lead, albeit a tighter one than he did yesterday. Gallup reported today that among registered voters surveyed Oct. 2-8, Mr. Obama leads, 49 percent to 46 percent. Yesterday in its Oct. 1-7 daily tracking poll, Gallup showed Mr. Obama leading among registered voters, 50 percent to 45 percent.

The difference between Gallup's "likely" voters" and "registered voters" surveys underscores how important turnout will be in this election.

As CBS News' director of surveys Sarah Dutton explained, "likely" voters sometimes refers to voters who tell the pollster they are "very" or "somewhat" likely to vote in an upcoming election, but many polls use a more complex process to determine who's "likely" to vote. Gallup says that its calculation of likely voters is based on registered voters' responses to a seven-question series that it has fine-tuned over six decades of polling.

Gallup noted that Mr. Obama's lead among registered voters is similar to the lead he held seven days prior to last week's presidential debate, suggesting that any polling benefit Romney received from his strong debate performance could be short-lived.

• Voter registration draws to close in four key states
• Romney finds new way to keep old 8 percent unemployment rate talking point

Gallup's three-day tracker of Mr. Obama's approval rating showed a slight improvement for the president, who now has a 53 percent approval rating.

In an Washington Post/ABC poll released today, Mr. Obama receives a 55 percent favorability rating -- his highest popularity rating in the Post/ABC poll since Spring 2010. Another 44 percent of registered voters in the poll said they have a negative view of the president.

Romney has had a likability problem throughout his campaign, but the Post/ABC poll suggests the tide may be turninng. While 51 percent of registered voters still have a negative view of the Republican candidate, 47 percent now have a positive view of him, marking the highest popularity rating he's received in the Post/ABC poll in this election.

Romney, meanwhile, holds slight leads in two key states, according to new American Research Group (ARG) surveys. In Ohio, Romney leads Mr. Obama 48 percent to 47 percent -- within the poll's four-point margin of error. A month earlier, the numbers were flipped in the ARG Ohio poll, with Mr. Obama leading 48 percent to 47 percent.

In Colorado, Romney leads 50 percent to 46 percent. Once again, Romney's lead is within the four-point margin of error. Last month, ARG showed Mr. Obama leading in Colorado, 49 percent to 47 percent.

[mommaknows]

romney has got his runnin shoes on cause his mama says they was magic shoes. they could take him anywhere. (TO THE WHITE HOUSE).

[sam_osborne]

The outcome in this election is more than a case of the reelection horse already being out of the barn. It is past time for Romney to make hay; the hay in votes is already in the barn.

Obama leads Romney by 59 percent to 31 percent among early voters, according to Reuters/Ipsos polling data compiled in recent weeks.

So all that money that folks like the Koch Brothers are spending via TV PAC ads is going to give a good boost to the local economies as President Obama starts a second term.

[walkthetalk]

Is the Gallup pole something like a stick horse, and does that really mean that he's going to be Galluping out of town on it.

[Dem52]

If Romney get the White House, we get the dog house.
check out http://www.romneysdoghouse.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veTGG7SF8ls

[Guitfiddel]

Just think about it a minute. Can you really honestly sayto yourself that Willard has told the TRUTH, haven't flip-flopped or changed his mind about anything?

[Guitfiddel]

Registered Voters and Likely Voters? What about Registered, Highly Likely Voters? Then again, what about the voters that don't care if anyone likes them or not?





Gotcha!!!

[AmeriWest]

All the folks ranting about Romney "lying" or Romney "changing" or Romney "whatever" -- are the same people ignoring the blatant lying by this administration about the killing of our American Ambassador in Libya. The Obama machine blatantly, overwhelming lies . . . and the facts are ignored. The Libya story is the tip of an ice berg the size of Watergate. Wake up, people!!!

[Guitfiddel]

"Are the same people ignoring the blatant lying by this administration about the killing of our American Ambassador in Libya?"

No more than you guys ignore the blatant lying of the previous Republican Administration's WEAPONS OF MASS DESRUCTION HOOKY and the killing of 4,758 of our Kids that were sent home in BODY BAGS and 6000+ wounded or amputees. So, now you want to elect another LYING, delusional, Republican IDIOT that advocates WAR with Russia with OUR KIDS even though he's a spineless,cowardly, sell-out, that hung out in France during the Vietnam War being a DRAFT DODGER that NEVER HAD THE GUTS to wear a uniform himself.

[JV1970]

Guitfiddel Tell me something! When did Obama ever wear a military uniform? I can answer that! The answer is NEVER!

Also do you REALLY want to discuss who is a draft dodger when Bill Clinton is an ACTUAL draft dodger? After he received his draft notice he ran off to England!

[walkthetalk]

The unrepresented people, are the lower class people, but i'm sure on election day, we will see all of those low class people, turn out to vote for Obama.

[infantryman1968]

Romney takes slight lead in new Gallup poll
LOL!
Obama and his followers lost the lead they never had and now they are pathologically suprised by the outcome.

[mcrich3]

It's amazing that the headline states, 'Romney takes slight lead.' in the gallop poll. The headline should have read, "Romney takes lead.' in Pew poll, Rasmussen poll, gallop poll, etc....

To all of you pollsters denouncing this poll, where were you 2 weeks ago?