Before the first presidential debate, it was easy to say that the face-offs usually don’t matter that much. One had to go back to 1976, 1980, and 1984 to find examples of a debate having a material effect on a presidential election. But that first debate earlier this month—specifically, Mitt […] Read more »
24% Of Americans Know About Romney’s Recent Statements On Abortion Policy
… The first hurdle in gathering evidence that campaign events matter in voter behavior and election outcomes is to measure how many people are even aware that a campaign event, one that is treated as noteworthy by the campaigns, the media, and advocacy groups, took place. … Over the past […] Read more »
Obama, Romney tied in Co., incumbent has narrow Nev. edge
The race between President Barack Obama and Republican nominee Mitt Romney is locked in a dead heat in Colorado, while the president maintains a narrow edge in the other Western swing state of Nevada. Obama and Romney are tied at 48 percent among likely voters in Colorado, according to the […] Read more »
Post-ABC tracking poll: Romney 50 percent, Obama 47
Republican Mitt Romney has edged ahead of President Obama in the new Washington Post-ABC News national tracking poll, with the challenger winning 50 percent of likely voters for the first time in the campaign. … And just as the challenger has leaped ahead on this score, he has effectively neutralized […] Read more »
Will Undecided Voters Tip the Election Against Obama?
… Nationally, about 5 percent of likely voters—between 6 and 7 million people—report that they remain undecided. Despite the extraordinary amount of advertising and candidate time lavished on the swing states, most of them have large pools of uncommitted voters as well—6 percent in Ohio, 5 percent in Florida and […] Read more »
The ‘momentum’ myth
Republicans have been pushing hard this week to convince people that Mitt Romney is wrapping up the presidential election. Since he’s not actually, well, leading, Romney partisans have relied on the idea that Romney has momentum: Even if he isn’t actually ahead yet, he is certain to take a commanding […] Read more »