Both presidential candidates are campaigning in Ohio Wednesday, but it’s President Obama who now holds a 10 point lead (53% to 43%) over Mitt Romney in the Buckeye State, according to the latest Quinnipiac/New York Times/CBS News poll.
The new poll represents a three point improvement for the president in Ohio and a one percentage point decline for Romney compared to last month’s results.
The president also holds a nine percentage point lead over Romney in Florida (53% to 44%), the poll found. Compared to last month, this represents a four point improvement for Obama in the Sunshine State and a two point decline for Romney.
Obama carried both states in 2008, but both are considered swing states, and Florida, in particular, is known to swing red. Both states have Republican governors, and former President George W. Bush carried Ohio and Florida in 2004.
Florida represents a heavy 29 electoral votes, the most of any swing state, and Ohio holds a significant 18 electoral votes.
“He’s not driving a consistent message,” Mark Halperin, a senior political analyst for Time and msnbc contributor, explained on Morning Joe Wednesday. Romney is also behind in Pennsylvania by 12 points, the poll found. Pennsylvania, a state Obama also carried in 2008, is worth 20 electoral votes. Bush won the state in 2004. The political director for the Romney campaign disputed another recent poll in Ohio showing Obama ahead of Romney. “I kind of hope the Obama campaign is basing their campaign on what the public polls say. We don’t. We have confidence in our data and our metrics,” Rich Beeson told reporters, according to NBC News.
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