CNN Poll: Obama holds 7-point lead over Romney
Washington (CNN) - Mitt Romney's unfavorable rating is up, most Americans think the Republican presidential challenger favors the rich, and it appears the number of people who believe that the economy will not get better if Romney is elected has edged up slightly, according to a new national poll.
But a CNN/ORC International survey released Thursday also indicates that Romney's supporters are increasingly getting behind the presumptive GOP nominee.
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It all adds up to a seven point advantage for President Barack Obama over the former Massachusetts governor, with 52% of registered voters questioned in the survey saying that they'd vote to re-elect the president and 45% backing Romney.
"Among independent voters, the poll indicates President Obama has a 53%-42% lead," CNN Polling Director Keating Holland said. "The president holds a nine point advantage among women voters and a smaller six point edge among men."
The good news for Romney: Four months after he wrapped up the race for the GOP nomination, 56% of Romney voters say they strongly support him, up from 47% in May. Sixty-one percent of Obama voters say they strongly support the president.
Since the start of the general election in April, the Obama campaign and Democratic groups have launched attacks on the presumptive Republican nominee, and the survey indicates that they appear to be working.
While Romney's favorable rating has remained steady (47% now compared to 48% in July), his unfavorable rating has jumped from 42% last month to 48% now. The president's 56%-42% favorable-unfavorable rating now is little changed from July.
Among independents, the poll indicates Romney's image has taken a beating. In May, only 40% of independents had an unfavorable view of Romney. Now, 52% of independents have a negative view of him.
Other findings: Sixty-four percent of all Americans, and 68% of independents, think Romney favors the rich over the middle class. And 63% of the public thinks Romney should release more tax returns than he has already made public, a figure which rises to 67% among independents.
"These are all signs that a summer of negative campaigning on the part of the Democrats seems to be taking its toll on the presumptive GOP nominee," says Holland.
Most significantly, it appears that Romney's image as a can-do guy on the economy may have also been hurt. In May, 50% of all Americans said that the economy would get better if Romney were elected. That's now down to 45%, two points below Obama's number. It's likely that all of this is the result of the Democrats' efforts to paint Romney in an unflattering light, but so far Obama has avoided any blowback from that strategy, as evidenced by no rise in his unfavorable rating.
Who do Americans think will win the election?
Regardless of which candidate they support, 63% think Obama will win re-election, with one third saying Romney will win.
"That may not translate directly into votes, but it is worth noting that in August of previous election years, the public accurately predicted the winner in 1996, 2000 and 2008, and in 2004 George W. Bush and John Kerry were tied," adds Holland.
Control of Congress is also up for grabs in November. According to the survey, 45% say the country would be better off if Congress were controlled by Democrats, with 39% saying things would be better if the GOP ran Capitol Hill.
The CNN poll was conducted by ORC International Tuesday and Wednesday (August 7-8), with 1,010 adults nationwide, including 911 registered voters, questioned by telephone. The survey's overall sampling error is plus or minus three percentage points.
CNN Political Editor Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report
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Look out more voter suppression will be needed. The cross-eyed geek from Pennsylvania knows how to do it to get Robme Hood elected.
President Obama holds a seven point lead and Romney still refuses to release his tax returns! Now I'm really curious to know what Romney is hiding.
Gee, what a surprise. Anonymous rich white guy isn't doing too well. Mitt Romney's about as interesting as buttered bread without the butter.
CNN, Rasmussen recent poll out today has it Romney 47% Obama 43% one of you is horribly wrong. Obamaloney aint no 7% up on nothing.
Not looking good for the Mittster. He's just not that likable.
ROMNEY is hiding a ton of information in his taxes that he KNOWS the AMERICAN PUBLIC would be DISGUSTED with! He can not be trusted. He's gotten to the place were he can't keep his leis straight!
Which way the wind blows Romney.
OBAMA 2012
Excellent article. Keep the t-baggers off balance and everyone from focusing on the economy.
Obama 2012
The more Americans learn about Mitt the twit, the more they dont like him. Here is just one example:
"Son of Boss" marriotts most abusive tax shelter while romney was Chairman of the audit board. This tax shelter had to pay back billions to the IRS
This is what romneys business career is revealing about his character, business conduct and judgement
"if we don't run Chris Christie, Romney will be the nominee and we'll lose" For once in her life, Ann Coulter was right about something. Goodbye Mittens. This lead will only grow between now and November. How about those tax returnss, Mitt? What a joke. A general election nightmare for the GOP.
And it's just going to keep getting worse for Romney. Even republicans are embarrassed by some of the things he says, and that he won't release his tax returns because he's obviously hiding something. The whole world is seeing what a two-faced liar Romney is, with no substantial plan for the country, and nothing to promote his campaign except false and misleading ads about Romney.
You have to take these polls with a grain of salt but really 45% of Americans are really buying all the lies Robme spews every waking second of the day – wow
Just wait until the debates start. Willard won't know what belongs on him or what it is that he uses it for.
My daddy always told me, "When you get em down, kick em" So President Obama, now is not the time to ease up, continue with the south paw jabs, wait for him to throw the desperate hay maker, it's so slow, even we can see it coming. Once he Throw it, he will leave himself wide open for you to knock him, Romney, straight out of the box, once and for all!
Come again CNN.....I do not believe in your polls as they are always one-sided. More democrats being polled over republicans. CNN will do anything to make Obama look good but they know deep down that he is going to lose. Stop doing those polls CNN....what are you trying to prove??????
Obama blew his was lying about Romney ... and it hasn't worked.
Romney lies..looks like America is no longer buying them..
Why do other polls have Romney leading and Obama's unfavorable rating below 50%???? Who do you believe ????? I can't believe there is that many decieved people in America to say Obama is leading???? Hope and pray that if it is a valid poll that the folks wake up before the election or our nation is in huge trouble ??? If you believe in gay marriage, higher taxes, manditory health care, destruction of small businesses, wholesale abortion, more indebtiness, vote for Obama and suffer the results !!!!!
They polled 1,245 Democrats.... 32 Republicans and 17 independents.
Finally the American people are opening their eyes and see the disaster that looms if Romney and his right wing gets ahold of this country.
Polls of registered voters traditionally favor democrats. Polls of likely voters are far less skewed. Would be really interested to see how this poll breaks down by party. How many D/R/I voters are there?
The GOP made the mistake that they could get any Koch Bros surrogate in there just by investing in endless Obama Hate Propaganda from the right wing media. They seem surprised that most people need a compelling reason to vote for Romney other than Obama-Hate. Don't we all remember who crashed this economy? Bush – and Romney's policies are no different. Who wants to go back to unfunded wars that benefit the rich and leave the rest of us in debt and in danger?
@B – Rasmussen has Romney 7 over Nobama. Guess its just which poll you choose to believe.
CNN you're so in the tank for Obama.... this is why your ratings are going in the sewer. I'll take the Rasmussin pole that says Romney is up by 4.
Yeah, right, sure...like I give any weight to anything Cnn politics publishes.
WOW CNN getting pretty desperate! CNN would defiantly give the North Korean media a run for their money