… While the Presidential race is still likely to be close due to the composition of the electorate, the last month has produced critical shifts against Romney and for Obama. Romney’s problems go beyond his dismissal of 47% of Americans—many of whom pay a higher proportion of their income in taxes than Romney does. …
One can see why Republicans are becoming increasingly desperate. Their attempt to frame the race as a referendum on Obama has failed.
Obama is personally popular (53% favorable, 46% unfavorable), especially in toss-up states (57% favorable, 42% unfavorable). Moreover, fully half of voters nationwide approve of the job he is doing as President (50% approve, 48% disapprove), with even higher ratings in toss-up states (55% approve, 44% disapprove). This shift in impressions of the President’s job performance is due, in part, to improvement among independents and white men. [cont. – PDF]
Celinda Lake, Daniel Gotoff and Kristin Pondel, Lake Research Partners