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SurveyUSA poll shows virtual tie in Ohio (With D+6 sample)
Hotair ^ | 10/12/2012 | Ed Morrissey

Posted on 10/12/2012 2:08:09 PM PDT by SeekAndFind

The topline results from SurveyUSA's poll in Ohio earlier this week might at first blush look like good news for Barack Obama. After all, he still leads Mitt Romney, if by a single point, in a state that Republicans almost certainly have to win to deny Obama a second term. However, the poll taken in the three days after Obama's debate flop only shows him with 45% support, in a sample that has a significant Democratic advantage:

In an election for Ohio's 18 vital electoral votes today, 10/09/12, one week after Buckeye voting began and 4 weeks till votes are counted, Barack Obama is at 45% to Mitt Romney's 44%, according to a SurveyUSA poll conducted for WCMH-TV, NBC4 in Columbus. Obama's advantage is within the survey's possible sources of error and may or may not be significant.

It's a dead heat, or at least it was earlier this week. But an incumbent at 45% with four weeks to go in an election is in deep trouble, especially when the sample has a D+6 advantage. The D/R/I on this poll is 39/33/25, which is defensible, but only if one thinks that the turnout model will come close to 2008's 39/31/30. The turnout in Ohio two years ago was 36/37/28 for an R+1, and there isn’t much evidence to declare that Democratic enthusiasm has returned to Ohio.

In fact, as SurveyUSA breaks down the figures themselves, the opposite seems true:

* “Optimistic” Ohio voters back Obama 4:1. “Worried” Ohio voters back Romney 2:1. “Angry” Ohio voters back Romney 3:1.
* Romney leads among voters who are married. Obama leads among voters who are single, divorced or widowed. …
* Ohio voters, narrowly, say Romney would do a better job balancing the federal budget.
* Ohio voters split on who would do better at keeping America safe.
* Ohio voters say Obama is more in touch with the average person.

The key in Ohio will almost certainly be independent voters, and they break sharply toward Romney. He leads 44/35, with 12% still undecided and 9% claiming to vote for “other.” That means that Obama has to make up nine points and get out of the mid-30s in less than 28 days among a group that he won in 2008 by eight points, 52/44. In other words, Romney has already matched the level of John McCain with Ohio independents, but Obama is seventeen points below his 2008 pace.

Can Obama make it up among “optimistic” voters? That’s unlikely. Only 36% of all likely voters surveyed consider themselves “optimistic,” while 60% consider themselves either “worried and concerned” or “frustrated and angry.” Among independents, that’s a 28/69 split.

Finally, let’s look at the gender gap. In 2008, Obama won the gender gap in Ohio over McCain by eleven points — three among men and eight among women. In this SUSA poll, Obama has a +4 in the gender gap, as Romney leads by seven among men and Obama leads by 11 among women. He only gets to 40% among men, though, and since only 35% of men consider themselves “optimistic,” he’s probably near his ceiling.

An incumbent who can’t get out of the mid-40s overall, or even into the 40s among independent voters, with four weeks to go is not on track for a win. Romney has a big opening here to close the deal in the Buckeye State.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Politics/Elections; US: Ohio
KEYWORDS: 2012polls; ohio; poll; surveyusa
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If Romney wins Pennsylvania, he does not need Ohio to win the presidency.

If he loses Pennsylvania, He needs Ohio to win the presidency.

C'mon Buckeyes, MAKE IT HAPPEN.

1 posted on 10/12/2012 2:08:16 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind
...and 9% claiming to vote for “other.”

Huh?
2 posted on 10/12/2012 2:11:42 PM PDT by verum ago (Some people must truly be in love, for only love can be so blind.)
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To: SeekAndFind

Overall, very positive results from Ohio. A sitting President at 45% less than a month before election day needs to be VERY worried.

I have said on other threads that Ohio is the state I am most worried about. This poll is encouraging, but Romney still needs to close the deal.


3 posted on 10/12/2012 2:11:52 PM PDT by comebacknewt (Newt (sigh) what could have been . . .)
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To: verum ago

RE: Huh?

I guess that would be Libertarian Party candidate — Gary Johnson.

Could he be this year’s Ross Perot?


4 posted on 10/12/2012 2:15:31 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

Add a couple weeks (or longer) of coverage of Libya and “the One” will lose some of his luster. Sadly for him, this occurred BEFORE his debate on Foreign Policy - depending on how the moderator plays it out, that could hurt him even more than the first debate did.


5 posted on 10/12/2012 2:16:39 PM PDT by onevoter
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To: SeekAndFind

Looks like Obama is bottoming out everywhere. Mitt just has to close the deal.


6 posted on 10/12/2012 2:18:08 PM PDT by goodolemr
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To: SeekAndFind
If Romney wins Pennsylvania, he does not need Ohio to win the presidency...If he loses Pennsylvania, He needs Ohio to win the presidency.

The way the polls are breaking these days, none of this will matter. Romney will win both Pennsylvania AND Ohio. He will also win Iowa and Wisconsin.

This is shaping up to be a blowout of Reagan/Momdale ratios.

> The question is staring to be: What will Romney do with his preference?

7 posted on 10/12/2012 2:18:51 PM PDT by stevem
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To: comebacknewt

Plus 0bama always overpolls.


8 posted on 10/12/2012 2:19:18 PM PDT by Perdogg (Vote like the US Constitution depends on it - it does!!)
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To: comebacknewt

9 posted on 10/12/2012 2:19:36 PM PDT by o2bfree (All us minorities got us an Obamaphone!!!)
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To: SeekAndFind

IF Romney can dominate another debate the way he did the first debate then all of these close states will shift towards him. Mitt holds the cards, it’s really up to him to close the deal at this point


10 posted on 10/12/2012 2:20:54 PM PDT by wiseprince
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To: wiseprince

It might be smart to throw in a few “audit the fed” lines in there too (maybe not in the debate but while campaigning)


11 posted on 10/12/2012 2:23:20 PM PDT by wiseprince
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To: SeekAndFind
"In 2008, Obama won the gender gap in Ohio over McCain by eleven points — three among men and eight among women. In this SUSA poll, Obama has a +4 in the gender gap, as Romney leads by seven among men and Obama leads by 11 among women."

So Romney is doing better than McCain with men (understandable). But he is 3 points worse than McCain with women? Does that sound right? I thought women hated McCain because they were catty towards Palin......
12 posted on 10/12/2012 2:30:45 PM PDT by AdamBomb
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To: All

Not that I want this to be necessary, but Romney can win without Ohio by winning Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, and Colorado (VA and FL included of course).

This poll is good news. I have a feeling this election is going to have a big conservative and Republican turnout.


13 posted on 10/12/2012 2:32:33 PM PDT by Laura722
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To: verum ago

Roseanne Barr and the likes. Those throw away votes.
DUMB? WRECKLESS? YES!


14 posted on 10/12/2012 2:36:11 PM PDT by pollywog ("O Thou who changest not, abide with me.".......)
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To: wiseprince

I don’t think Romney even has to dominate another debate.

If he just holds his own in the next one, then the status quo is that he is currently ahead, and he should be able to hold on.

That said, I sure would love it if Zero laid another egg Tuesday evening.


15 posted on 10/12/2012 2:38:31 PM PDT by comebacknewt (Newt (sigh) what could have been . . .)
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To: SeekAndFind

Optimistic = delusional. And Obama is seen as more in touch with the average person......because we all get to golf 106 times and take $10 MILLION worth of vacations in THREE years!!!


16 posted on 10/12/2012 2:41:48 PM PDT by ScottinSacto (Liberals support abortion on demand and gay marriage....sounds like a great strategic plan!)
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To: SeekAndFind
If it's assumed Democrats in Ohio have a 6% advantage it begs the question: Why are all the State wide offices, both houses of the legislature, the Congressional delegation, and one out of two Senate seats in Republican hands? Ohio swung Republican hard in 2010 and it will probably be a few more years (into the Romney administration and after Kasich's re-election) before it swings back.
17 posted on 10/12/2012 2:43:24 PM PDT by katana (Just my opinions)
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To: SeekAndFind

Incumbents at 45% are toast.


18 posted on 10/12/2012 2:48:32 PM PDT by bray (Islam- A billion medieval savages can't be wrong!)
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To: SeekAndFind
The key in Ohio will almost certainly be independent voters, and they break sharply toward Romney. He leads 44/35,

That's the name of the game, right there. Period, end of story.
19 posted on 10/12/2012 2:50:09 PM PDT by Signalman
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To: SeekAndFind

As I have said, the absentee numbers and the reports from precinct walkers (the latter in my county alone) saying their indies ar almost 2:1 Romney tells me this is over and we can move on to CO, WI, MI,and PA.


20 posted on 10/12/2012 2:58:07 PM PDT by LS ("Castles Made of Sand, Fall in the Sea . . . Eventually (Hendrix))
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