Poll: Romney, Santorum tied with Obama in Florida
(CNN) - A new poll shows President Barack Obama statistically tied with Republican presidential frontrunner Mitt Romney in Florida, a state that holds its primary on January 31 and widely expected to be a swing state in the general election.
According to a Quinnipiac University survey released Wednesday, Romney took in 46% of support among Florida's registered voters, while Obama came in at 43%.
– Follow the Ticker on Twitter: @PoliticalTicker
The three percentage-point margin falls within the range of the poll's sampling error.
Also significant, Rick Santorum took high marks in a hypothetical matchup against Obama. The former Pennsylvania senator received 43% compared to Obama's slightly higher 45 - also representing a margin within the sampling error.
While Obama carries the state's voters in the 18-49 age range, Santorum beat Obama - 49% to 40% - among voters in the 50 to 64 demographic and 53% to 39% among those 65 and older, two key voting blocs in the Sunshine State.
Obama narrowly won Florida in 2008 against Arizona Sen. John McCain by three points.
The poll was conducted entirely before New Hampshire's Tuesday primary, a contest Romney won by a big lead over his GOP rivals. Instead, the survey occurred in the days that followed the Iowa caucuses, where Romney essentially tied with Santorum at 25%, edging him out by only eight votes.
The Quinnipiac University Polling Institute surveyed 1,412 registered voters by telephone January 4-8, with a sampling error of 2.6 percentage points.
- CNN Chief White House Correspondent Jessica Yellin contributed to this story.
As usual, who were they calling. I am between the age of 50 and 64 and it would be a cold day in Hades before I vote for Mitt Romney, let alone Rick Santorum. Sometimes my fellow Floridians frighten me – case in point – Rick Scott. Seriously, how do you vote for a man who had to pay billions for swindling Medicare and then took the 5th in court proceedings. Rick Scott is the personification of shady and shifty. We call him Tricky Ricky. I fear there will be quite a few in my state who will vote against their own best interests. I just hope and pray as we get closer to November they come to their senses and vote for President Obama.
And BTW, spare me any more Willard ads. The one that is running now – about his steadiness and consistency – is seriously grating on my nerves. Every time I see or hear that man's voice, I just want to spit.
OBAMA/BIDEN 2012!!!!!
Obama will have millions and millions in his warchest and when the time comes he will pound on the Republican nominee like a drum. The Republican candidates either express views that are more radical than what mainstream Americans wish to see, or they are carrying around too much political baggage. On the other hand Obama can lay claim to numerous foreign policy achievements, economic growth (albeit slow and sluggish growth), and his own personal charisma and campaigning skills. The situation looks grim for the GOP.
let willard romney and the repubs have moment in thr sun, but come december the dems will be making a joyous noise!
...and if by swing state you mean throwing some tantrum and imaginary drama the day of the election so their conservative courts can give the state to the Republicans again you're probably right.
GOD chooses leaders & i dont think he will chose a mormon,his sons really looks mormons in their white shirts,i think thats what James Carville was trying to say,
Romney – believe in America.. oh I believe in American alright! BUT I DO NOT BELIEVE YOUR LIES AND BRAINWASHING! #Obama2012! The real American President!
I agree with Al from WPB. I live in Broward, and our tri-county area (Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm beach) are not only the 3 largest county's in Florida when it comes to registered voters, but I'm pretty sure we're all voting for Obama. If anyone remembers the 2004 election, our tri cuonty area were 3 of maybe 7 counties that voted for Gore, and it was still almost 50%. So Santorum may be popular among the voters called, but those voters that were called might represent 13% of actual Florida voters. K. thanks. bye
Santorum puts all his eggs in the Iowa basket and Huntsman follows suit in New Hampshire.
Now, we see perry skipping to South Carolina.
The only person that can still come close to Romney is Ron Paul and these jokers insist on staying in the race.
They are essentially stealing votes from the Paul campaign. A good number of those candidates' votes would have gone for Paul, giving the people a much clearer idea of just how much support Dr. Paul actually has.
I'm not much for hollering "conspiracy!", but it at least seems like a bunch of rich kids bullying the smart kid. less
EXACTLY!
ThinkAgain
President Obama has a record of accomplishment in turning the economy around, 22 straight months of job creation, troops home from Iraq, Osama bin Laden in a watery grave, health care reform protecting the most vulnerable among us, reinvesting in our infrastructure and our future, etc., etc., etc.
What do the Repubs have? Tax cuts for the rich? 10 years of that has resulted in jobs overseas and layoffs here at home.
Re-electing President Obama is a no-brainer.
Obama/Biden 2012
I'm just waiting for the announcement in late summer of a Hillary/Biden swap.. OBAMA/CLINTON 2012! LANDSLIDE FINISH!
and Romney has so much dirt on him! In a one on one debate. President Obama would DESTROY him!
Good one I heard the other day: Any American who isn't a millionaire that votes for a Republican is just like a chicken voting for Col Sanders.
This is great news for Mr. Obama, considering Florida is full of retired biblethumpers, and he has a very good chance to win there, it looks promising.
There's only one solution to this: CAGE MATCH!
All the candidates need to work harderas non of them has an upperhand over the others.
CNN does it again. How can you say Romney and Obama tied in Florida, with Romney ahead in this survey 3%? That is bad for the President. He is hurting everywhere this year.
The only sane, logical and smart choice is to give President Obama another term to fix the disasters of the Bush error. President Obama's policies have worked to turn our economy around, he ended DADT, saved the American auto industry, killed Bin Laden, passed ACA, ended our occupation of Iraq, and the list of positive accomplishments go on and on. He achieved all of this without any help from the most hostile Congress any President has had to face. Imagine how much better off the economy would be by now if the hateful Republicans, whose stated goal from day one was to ensure Obama's failure, had actually supported the progress. A vote for Romney is a vote to return to the days of corporate raiding, greed and squashing the little guy. A vote for Obama is a vote to continue moving this great nation forward! Obama, 2012, seriously.
Al, I ONLY have a landline and for Obama (don't even think of accusing be of being on the government teat – my husband & I work very hard to make well over $100k a year, thank you very much). Nobody called me.
Well, gotta keep this interesting somehow. Otherwise, its looking like a blowout....President Obama crushing any yet-to-be-named challenger.
"Most of the benefits of his tax plan clearly go to upper income people, there's no doubt about that," said Dean Baker, an economist and the co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research.
More than says enough for this middle class family...regardless of what the GOP / Tea Party trot out as their candidate, the GOP / Tea Party have done nothing to sway our independent votes. We are sticking with President Obama and look forward to Democratic lead congress...paving the way forward.
If older folks in FL, or anywhere else, think Romney has their backs, they're in for a big surprise. I can't wait to hear Mittens explain his way out of what he calls, "Obamacare", when he had a similar program as governor. He is such a slippery politician and I don't trust him for as far as I can see. He simply plays to whatever crowd he's around. Total BS.
Can not believe the people of Florida, would allow a republican access to the oval office. Can they not remember the Bush years. Oh, that's right. The older voters can be easily swayed because they tend to be forgetful.
any team that includes Santorum as VP is a guarenteed landslide reelection for Obama. Same goes for Perry, Bachmann, or Newter. Paul will not join in and Huntsman is not only not radical enough but he dared to speak and even deal with Obama as ambassador. Mittens will be the GOP candidate but he will have to include some religious wacko as VP to appease the thumpers. Too bad that will alienate everyone else
Tied in Florida? Where have I heard this before?
im voting for Obama