In the days following the first presidential debate, election polls have seen a drastic fluctuation between the voter favorability numbers of President Barack Obama and his opponent Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney. In the last day alone, Gallup's Daily tracking has seen poll margins widen among registered voters and even out among likely voters.
Wednesday's Daily tracking revealed that President Obama's lead against Romney among registered voters increased by two points. The Gallup Daily report released on Tuesday showed that Obama led Romney by a 3-point lead. However, on Wednesday, he enjoyed a much larger lead, 50 percent to Romney's 45 percent.
In just a day, Romney and Obama also came up tied among likely voters at 48 percent. Previously, Romney led Obama by a 1-point lead, 49 percent to 47 percent. Romney's success at the first presidential debate in Denver caused a surge in poll numbers, however the effects may not last long.
The president's approval rating, however, did not record any changes in the past 24 hours and remained at 53 percent. Obama's disapproval rating also remained unchanged at 42 percent.
The Gallup polls are not the only ones that experienced tilts towards the Republican candidate. A Reuters/Ipsos poll on Tuesday found that Obama and Romney were tied among likely voters at 45 percent each.
Obama's weak performance at the Denver debate is being held as the reason behind the slip in poll numbers. Prior to the debate, the president enjoyed a wide margin lead against Romney. The president was also expected to win the debates 2-1, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released earlier this month.
Romney, who lagged behind President Obama prior to the debates, could use the following two debates to his advantage. Although his success in Denver has made the presidential election much more competitive, Gallup reported that debates historically do not define the results of the race.
Three debates, once vice presidential debate and two presidential debates, remain this month prior to the Nov. 6 election. Vice President Joe Biden and Republican vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan will face off on Thursday, October 11 at Centre College in Danville, Kentucky. The two presidential debates are scheduled for October 16 at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y. and on October 22 at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Fla.
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