The latest Swing State poll released by Quinnipiac University, in conjunction with the New York Times and CBS News, reveals that Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney holds a slight lead in Colorado but that President Barack Obama leads in Virginia and Wisconsin.
According to the poll, Romney leads 48 percent to Obama’s 47 percent among swing state voters in Colorado. The President enjoys a larger percentage margin in Virginia (51 percent to Romney’s 46 percent) and in Wisconsin (50 percent to Romney’s 47 percent).
Voters in Colorado also believed that Romney would be a better candidate on the issue of the economy, 52 to 44 percent. However, voters in Virginia and Wisconsin are more evenly split, 48-48 percent in Virginia and 49-47 percent in Wisconsin.
Quinnipiac University Polling Institute reported that Romney is seeing more favorable numbers on certain issues in October than in September. This could be attributed to Romney’s strong performance during the first presidential debate in Denver earlier this month.
Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute, said, “Gov. Mitt Romney outfought President Barack Obama 4-1 in the first debate, according to likely voters in Colorado, Virginia and Wisconsin. The shifts are too small to measure, but the races in Wisconsin and Colorado are now too close to call. The president holds his lead in Virginia.”
“During the spring and early summer Romney held a small lead on who can best handle the economy, an edge he lost to Obama in Quinnipiac University’s September survey,” Brown said. “Now, Romney leads on the economy in Colorado and the two men are tied in Virginia and Wisconsin.”
In Colorado, the GOP candidate has the support of independent likely voters (49-45 percent), men (52-42 percent) and white voters (53-41 percent). President Obama, on the other hand, has the support of Colorado women (51-45 percent) and Hispanic voters (66-34 percent).
Brown noted, “The key to Mitt Romney’s strength in Colorado is independent voter support. This group makes up a significant portion of the likely electorate and Romney has a four-point lead with these voters, which keeps him even with President Obama, who does a bit better among Democrats than Mr. Romney does among Republicans.”
In Virginia, Obama holds the support of women (56-40 percent) and black voters (93-3 percent). Romney, on the other hand, has the support of men (52-45 percent) and white voters (59-38 percent). Unlike Colorado independents, Virginia independents back Obama 48 percent and Romney 46 percent.
On the president’s lead in Virginia, Brown said, "One reason why the president is doing better in Virginia than some other swing states could be that Virginians feel a little better about the economy than voters in other states. It is more difficult for Mitt Romney to go into Virginia with its sub 6 percent unemployment rate than in many other states and convince voters they should fire Barrack Obama for not doing enough to fix the economy."
In Wisconsin, women support Obama (53-43 percent) but men support Romney (51-46 percent). Wisconsin independents are split 48 percent for Romney and 46 percent for Obama, the poll found.
Brown added, "Wisconsin votes are predisposed toward native son Paul Ryan on a variety of measures. Compared to the other states, Ryan has a better favorable/unfavorable ratio; is seen as better prepared to assume the presidency, and by a wide margin voters expect him to win tonight's vice presidential debate."
The economy was the most important election issue in all three states—42 percent in Colorado and Virginia and 44 percent in Wisconsin—the Quinnipiac poll found. It was followed by health care and the budget deficit. Voters in all three states found that Obama is better suited to deal with health care—48 to 47 percent in Colorado, 54 to 42 percent in Virginia and 51 to 44 percent in Wisconsin.
Voters in each state found that Romney has stronger leadership qualities—67 to 29 percent in Colorado, 64 to 30 percent in Virginia and 65 to 31 percent in Wisconsin. On the other hand, all three states found that Obama cares about their needs and problems, the poll found—54 to 42 percent in Colorado, 63 to 43 percent in Virginia and 61 to 36 percent in Wisconsin.
Obama and Romney will have less than four weeks, with two presidential debates left until the Nov. 6 election to sway voter’s decisions.
WATCH ASSISTANT DIRECTOR TIM MALLOY EXPLAIN THE POLL RESULTS: