Raleigh, N.C.– PPP’s newest Florida poll finds Barack
Obama leading Mitt Romney by a 50-46 margin in the state. That represents a 3
point improvement for Obama since PPP’s last poll of the state, which was
conducted the weekend after the Republican convention. It represents the
largest lead PPP has found for Obama in Florida since early June.
Mitt Romney’s image with Floridians has taken a turn in the wrong direction
since his party gathered in Tampa for its convention. His favorability has
dropped a net 9 points from +2 at 49/47 over Labor Day weekend to now -7 at
44/51. Romney’s comments about the ‘47%’ this week aren’t doing him any favors.
89% of voters are familiar with them and 50% consider them to have been
inappropriate to 44% who were ok with them. Most troubling for Romney
independent voters considered the comments improper by a 58/37 margin and he
trails Obama by a 51/40 spread with those folks who could determine the final
outcome in the state.
Obama’s lead in Florida isn’t all about Romney losing ground though. He’s
pretty strong in his own right with 51% of voters approving of him to 47% who
disapprove. That’s up a net 7 points from 47/50 before the Democratic
convention. This is the first time since April we’ve found his approval over
50% in the state. Perhaps more importantly Florida voters trust Obama over
Romney on the issue of the economy by the same 50/46 margin as the overall
numbers- Romney’s not getting any traction on that front.
The main shift in the horse race comparing this poll to our last one has
come with Democrats. Previously Romney was getting a pretty decent amount of
crossover support from them, getting 18% to 79% for Obama. Now Democratic
voters are more united around their nominee with 83% planning to support the
President to 13% for Romney.
“What’s happened over the last three weeks in Florida is pretty simple,”
said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. “Voters have warmed up to
Barack Obama and they’ve cooled on Mitt Romney, and as a result Obama’s seen an
increase in his lead.”
PPP surveyed 861
likely Florida voters from September 20th to 23rd . The margin of
error for the survey is +/-3.3%. This poll was not paid for or authorized by
any campaign or political organization.
Topline results are below. Full results, including crosstabs, can be found here.
Q1 Do you approve or disapprove of President
Barack Obama’s job performance?
Approve …………………………………………………. 51%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 47%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 2%
Q2 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Mitt Romney?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 44%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 51%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 5%
Q3 The candidates for President are Democrat
Barack Obama and Republican Mitt Romney. If
the election was today, who would you vote
for?
Barack Obama………………………………………… 50%
Mitt Romney……………………………………………. 46%
Undecided………………………………………………. 4%
Q4 Do you trust Barack Obama or Mitt Romney
more on the issue of the economy?
Barack Obama………………………………………… 50%
Mitt Romney……………………………………………. 46%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 5%
Q5 Do you trust Barack Obama or Mitt Romney
more on the issue of foreign policy?
Barack Obama………………………………………… 50%
Mitt Romney……………………………………………. 45%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 4%
Q6 Are you very excited, somewhat excited, or not
at all excited about voting in the 2012
elections?
Very excited ……………………………………………. 66%
Somewhat excited …………………………………… 19%
Not at all excited ……………………………………… 15%
Q7 Are you familiar with comments Mitt Romney
has made about the ‘47%’, or not?
Familiar ………………………………………………….. 89%
Not familiar……………………………………………… 11%
Q8 Mitt Romney recently said, “There are 47
percent of the people who will vote for the
president no matter what. All right? There are
47 percent who are with him, who are
dependent upon government, who believe that
they are victims, who believe the government
has a responsibility to care for them, who
believe that they are entitled to health care, to
food, to housing, to you-name-it, that that’s an
entitlement. And the government should give it
to them. And they will vote for this president no
matter what…. These are people who pay no
income tax.” Do you think Romney’s comments
were appropriate or inappropriate?
Appropriate …………………………………………….. 44%
Inappropriate…………………………………………… 50%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 5%
Q9 Do these comments make you more or less
likely to vote for Mitt Romney, or do they not
make a difference?
More likely………………………………………………. 30%
Less likely ………………………………………………. 35%
No difference ………………………………………….. 31%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 3%
Q10 Do you think Mitt Romney should release his
tax returns for the last 12 years, or not?
He should……………………………………………….. 52%
He should not………………………………………….. 39%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 9%
Q11 Would you describe yourself as very liberal,
somewhat liberal, moderate, somewhat
conservative, or very conservative?
Very liberal ……………………………………………… 10%
Somewhat liberal …………………………………….. 15%
Moderate………………………………………………… 34%
Somewhat conservative……………………………. 25%
Very conservative ……………………………………. 16%
Q12 If you are a woman, press 1. If a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 53%
Man……………………………………………………….. 47%
Q13 If you are a Democrat, press 1. If a Republican,
press 2. If you are an independent or identify
with another party, press 3.
Democrat ……………………………………………….. 44%
Republican……………………………………………… 36%
Independent/Other…………………………………… 20%
Q14 If you are Hispanic, press 1. If white, press 2.
If African-American, press 3. If other, press 4.
Hispanic…………………………………………………. 13%
White …………………………………………………….. 69%
African-American …………………………………….. 13%
Other……………………………………………………… 5%
Q15 If you are 18 to 29 years old, press 1. If 30 to
45, press 2. If 46 to 65, press 3. If you are
older than 65, press 4
18 to 29………………………………………………….. 12%
30 to 45………………………………………………….. 22%
46 to 65………………………………………………….. 34%
Older thhan 65………………………………………… 32%