Recently released swing state polls by Quinnipiac University, in conjunction with the New York Times and CBS News, reveals that President Barack Obama holds very slight leads against Republican candidate Mitt Romney in two key swing states, Florida and Virginia. According to the results, the gap between the two candidates makes the two states too close to call for the election next week.
The polls, released on Wednesday, place Obama ahead by one point in Florida (48 percent to 47 percent) and by two points in Virginia (49 percent to 47 percent). Previous polls in those states showed the president with a much larger lead, 53 percent to 44 percent in Florida and 51 percent to 46 percent in Virginia.
Peter A. Brown, the assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute, said, "After being subjected to what seems like a zillion dollars' worth of television ads and personal attention from the two candidates reminiscent of a high-school crush, the key swing states of Florida and Virginia are too close to call with the election only days away."
According to Brown, "The gender gap which has marked this campaign is getting smaller in Florida and Virginia. In general, women are about 10 points plus for President Obama and men are in Gov. Romney's corner by about the same margin. This represents a slight increase for Romney among men and women."
In Florida, female voters support Obama 53 percent to 43 percent and male voters support Romney 52 percent to 43 percent. This marks a decline in support for Obama among women since September and an increase in support for Romney among men.
In Virginia, female voters support Obama 53 percent to 43 percent and male voters support Romney 52 percent to 43 percent. This also shows a decline in Obama support among women
Brown also added, "Much of the difference between Obama's solid lead at this point four years ago and today in the swing states and nationally is the drop in the president's support among white voters, especially in Florida, where he trails 59 - 37 percent among whites, a group he lost 56 - 42 percent in 2008, when he got 43 percent of the white vote nationally."
White voters in Florida and in Virginia overwhelmingly support the GOP candidate, 59 percent to 37 percent. On the other hand, black voters in both states almost completely support President Obama, 96 percent to 2 percent in Florida and 93 percent to 6 percent in Virginia.
Hispanic voters in Florida continue to support Obama, but by much smaller margins than the Latino vote nationally, 57 percent to 39 percent. Brown explained, ""The president has a 57 - 39 percent lead among Hispanics in Florida, almost certainly a smaller margin among Latino voters than he will get in most if not all other states. The difference is that Cuban-Americans, generally more Republican than other Latino groups, are a much larger share of the Hispanic vote in the Sunshine State."
Romney counts on the support of independent voters in both states, leading 49 percent to 44 percent in Florida and 57 percent to 36 percent in Virginia.
Likely voters in both states listed the economy as the most important issue of this year's campaign, 51 percent in Florida and 49 percent in Virginia. This is followed by health care, which was named as a top issue by 15 percent of likely voters in Florida and Virginia. However, the third most important issue listed by Florida voters was Medicare (nine percent), compared to budget deficit in Virginia (nine percent).
According to Quinnipiac University, likely voters in the key swing states believe that the nation's economy is improving, 42 to 33 percent in Florida and 40 to 35 percent in Virginia. While voters in the two states overwhelmingly found that Obama cares about their needs and problems, they found that Romney has stronger leadership qualities.
With the election just days away, and poll numbers in these states coming in so close, it is difficult to predict whether these states will vote Democratic this election. In fact, a poll released by Roanoke College on Wednesday found that Romney had overtaken Obama's lead there by five points, 49 percent to 44 percent. The latest electoral votes predictions by Latinos Post places both states as tossups.
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