by David Jackson, USA TODAY
President Obama holds a 5-point lead over Mitt
Romney in Ohio, and the two candidates remain very close in Virginia and
Florida, according to a new Quinnipiac University/CBS News/New York Times poll of likely voters.
Obama
leads by 50%-45% in Ohio, the state many analysts believe will decide
the election; that's the same margin he had in the same poll on Oct. 22.
The
president once had a nine-point lead over Romney in Florida, but that
has now shrunk to a single point, 48%-47%, well within the margin of
error.
In Virginia, the poll gave Obama a 49%-47% in Virginia, also within the margin of error.
Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute:
"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.
"President
Barack Obama clings to a 5-point lead in Ohio, but Gov. Mitt Romney has
narrowed the president's lead that existed in Florida and Virginia
before the first debate."
From CBS News:
"The survey was taken from Oct. 23 to 28 and completed before the onset of the 'superstorm' Sandy.
"Romney
has taken the lead among seniors in Florida in the new survey and
increased his lead among white voters, and he has a significant
advantage among independents in Virginia. In Florida and Ohio, the
candidates are now running about even on handling the economy. In
Virginia, Romney has an edge.
"In Florida and Ohio, the president
leads among those who have already cast their ballots, with a
significant lead in Ohio, 60 to 34 percent. In Florida, Mr. Obama is up
50 to 44 percent. Among those who have yet to cast their vote, the two
candidates are even in these states. Just a small percentage of voters
in Virginia have already voted.
"There are few voters left in
these swing states who haven't made up their minds. Now, at least 95
percent of likely voters - including both Obama and Romney voters --
have decided who they will support."