(CNN) - President Barack Obama has a narrow advantage over Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney in Ohio according to a new poll released Thursday which also found the race for the White House locked up in Florida and Virginia.
The NBC News/Wall Street Journal/Marist polls came out hours after another survey of likely voters, conducted by the American Research Group, found Ohio to be statistically tied.
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But the numbers could be evidence of a post-convention bump for the incumbent president. A CNN/ORC International poll of likely voters nationwide released Monday found Obama six points ahead of Romney, although the results were within the survey's sampling error.
In Thursday's polls, Ohio likely voters split 50% for Obama, 43% Romney, according NBC/Wall Street Journal poll, with 83% strongly supporting their candidate of choice.
Voters in both Florida and Virginia split 49% for Obama and 44% for Romney, a five point difference within the poll's sampling error of 3.1.
The polls were conducted between Sunday, September 9 and Tuesday, September 11, following the close of the Democratic National Convention.
In the three states, Obama's approval rating was at or just below the 50% mark and his favorability ratings were just above 50%. Meanwhile, more voters in each of the three states thought the country was on the wrong track than thought it was on the right track. The survey conductors noted this number was improving and between 42% and 45% in all three states.
On the question of who would best handle the economy, likely voters' opinions were mixed.
Florida voters picked Romney over Obama, 47% to 46%; Ohio voters went for Obama over Romney; 48% to 44%; and in Virginia, voters were evenly divided.
The NBC News/Wall Street Journal/Marist polls in the three battleground states came on the same day the ARG poll released results showing races in Ohio and Colorado separated by less than two points. Thursday morning, an EPIC/MRA survey of likely voters found 47% supporting Obama and 37% supporting Romney, with 16% unsure who they would support.
Florida, Ohio, and Virginia are among the nine toss up states on the CNN Electoral Map. Florida is also the largest toss up prize on the map with 29 electoral votes, while Ohio is the second largest with 18 and Virginia has 13.
From CNN Politics
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These polls tend to heavily oversample Democrats, and as a result, give inaccurate results. Rasmussen nailed it in 2008 while the other polls overestimated Obama's margin of victory. Rasmussen today: Romney +1.
Republicans did answer that famous "3:00 am call" because they were scrambling trying to figure out how to fix the mess Romney/Ryan made over the Americans killed in Libya. President Obama answered that call with respect and dignity as we expect from our President by not playing politics, as Romney/Ryan did which was very inappropriate not even considering the brave Americans who were killed or their families. We are Americans and standup against these type of killings with resolve and we stand together with our President and not against him.
We also need to concentrate on removing a lot of the obstructionist in the Republican House, and the Senate if we
are ever going to get the economy going strong again. The Republicans in Congress seem to think that Americans
want them to say no to everything. Not me .. I want to see a thriving job force come back to America .. I want to see
people laughing and working and loving again. I want to see what President Obama can do for us, when he has
Congress at his side! Let's fire the Republicans in the House, the Senate .. as many as we can.
Perhaps people are noticing that Mr. Romney is not waiting to get the facts before he speaks. His remarks about Libya were shocking. This was not at all in character as described by those in his church. AT a time of real grief for families who chose to be political and added nothing to the situation. He seemed to have more sympathy for the people of LA but just maybe that was a political decision.
That will probably cost him votes but if you lived in MA you are aware that this is not the first time that Mr. Romney spoke first. He has not asked these PACs to slow down. He is accepting of all that they say and do. That does not show leadership but it says quite a bit about who will advise him and who will be in charge. If he wins he will have to acknowledge their support and be willing to play ball with the donors.
easy to understand why. Romney and ryan have no clue how to govern. Their own party came down hard on them for the remarks mittens made on foreign policy. I see he will start getting intellegnce briefings. He could use some intellegence. They say this is customary. Isnt showing your tax returns also customary.? Economist as a whole do not agree with their plan to cut taxes or their plan to change health care. Why do we want this unpatriotic duo who have no common sense and seem to find lying easier than telling the truth. Every day we catch them in a new lie. and ehen in doubt they just keep lying more. They are a disgrace to the american people especially when the embassy is being attacked and instead of standing firm with the president they are playing politics without knowing what they are talking about. , Forward 2012 with out mittens and paulie.
You'll see a changing trend as it gets closer to the debates,voters are losing confidence in the multiple choice candidate.His typical open mouth insert foot moment coming on the heels of an ambassador,his 3 staffers killed in Egypt and Romney the Mormon wonder just shot his political wad making this somber moment a time for political jabs when silence does show compassion, respect to the families of the fallen government workers.Now he's backstepping something that's patented by republicans,they're good at stepping on their tongues then blaming someone else.So don't be surprised as his ratings in the polls keep on falling,Ryan campaigning in Wisconsin for his next congressional term,that shows confidence in their presidencial campaign run doesn't it!!!
Polls are meaningless. Romney will likely win the election because we are a nation of idiots who also lack any compassion for others. The me generation actually believes that wealth creates jobs (it's jobs that create wealth) and that every unemployed person is to lazy to work.
Tied? 5 pt lead with a 3 pt MoE...not tied. Stop trying to narrate the election!
In the WSJ poll, President Obama's 5 point lead in FL and VA is actually outside the margin of error of +/- 3.1.
Who could be more anti-American than Romney? He puts American's abroad in danger after interfering with our president's message, invests in Iran, Russia and El Salvador through blood money, and holds his money in foreign bank accounts.
Romney shoot first aim next strategy is failing.
Curious why the map rarely matches the latest polls.
I don't understand how anyone could vote for anti-American Romney, who invests in Iran, El Salvador and Russia, getting rich off of blood money; he holds his money off of American soil and compromises American's abroad lives for the sake of political gain.
If you have brain, you vote for obama . You know GOP thugs go to Iran war, Libya war etc.
All those manipulations just to dissuade Romney voters and donor. The Fourth Estate is where we look to for Truth. This is disgraceful and really disgusting.
We don't have a king or an emperor this is the thing you right wing nuts forget. Focus your energy on placing the blame for this crash where it belongs with your senator/congressmen who voted and contributed to this collapse. These guys are passing the blame on the president and hoping you people don't notice. It would of almost worked if not for an Romney just not being ready for prime time. This guys displays every week just how low he is willing to sink to win the job and then puts his foot in his mouth. These super pacs reallys though they could buy a president but the we won't go for that. I hope the bought and paid for supreme court and their citizens united decision goes down to show how much of a waste of money it led to.
The POTUS is up by 5 points in VA and FL, how can CNN attempt to finesse the headline as a tie?
American Research Group? A group of wha? If it isn't Nate Silver's 528–I pay little attention. So many crappy garbage polls–clutter.
Go MITT. We can do it!!
Forward with Obama/Biden 2012
I am impressed with the people of Ohio, which is generally a red state outside of 2 or 3 of the major cities. We'll see if they have enough rational people come election day and actually vote for Obama and save us from Mitt – the I don't actually have a plan – Romney
I do hope that Americans does not put another Bush / Cheney into office. Robme and Ryan will actually be worse.
It took us 8 years to get into this mess and now Republicans are telling voters that Obama did not clean up their mess fast enough. Why would you give the Republicans to keys to White House again after they led this country to the diaster four years ago.
Florida, Ohio and Virginia please do not buy into the Republican lies.
Obama / Biden 2012
I think it's more than a bump–the more voters see of Romney, the less llikely they are to vote for him.
What a bunch of bull! Ohio is tied. Do not try to spin this, ha ha ha. The liberal media will spin things just to prop their beloved Obama who is a total failure as far as the majority of Americans are concerned. Only the truly iditotic liberal media and their Hollywood cohorts have their eyes closed to the truth!
How much over-sampling over Dems in these polls? I'm thinking about 9%