Poll Watch: Rasmussen (R) Florida 2012 Presidential Survey

Rasmussen (R) Florida 2012 Presidential Poll

• Mitt Romney 51% {51%} [49%] (46%) {45%} [46%] (46%) {43%} [44%] (46%) 
• Barack Obama 46% {47%} [47%] (48%) {43%} [45%] (45%) {46%} [47%] (42%) 

Do you have a very favorable, somewhat favorable, somewhat unfavorable or very unfavorable impression of Mitt Romney? 

• Very favorable 38% {40%} [38%] (33%) {30%} [23%] (21%)
• Somewhat favorable 16% {13%} [14%] (18%) {19%} [29%] (29%)
• Somewhat unfavorable 14% {12%} [10%] (15%) {19%} [19%] (25%)
• Very unfavorable 31% {33%} [36%] (32%) {29%} [25%] (22%)

Favorable / Unfavorable {Net}

• Mitt Romney 54% {53%} [52%] (51%) {49%} [52%] (50%) / 45% {45%} [46%] (47%) {48%} [44%] (47%) {+9%}

How would you rate the job Barack Obama has been doing as president? 

• Strongly approve 31% {32%} [33%] (35%) {30%} [28%] (37%) {28%}
• Somewhat approve 18% {16%} [18%] (16%) {19%} [21%] (12%) {21%} 
• Somewhat disapprove 8% {7%} [7%] (7%) {8%} [6%] (12%) {6%}
• Strongly disapprove 41% {45%} [40%] (40%) {41%} [44%] (39%) {45%} 

President Obama Job Approval

• Approve 49% {48%} [51%] (51%) {49%} [49%] (49%) {49%} 
• Disapprove 49% {52%} [47%] (47%) {49%} [50%] (51%) {51%}

Survey of 750 likely voters was conducted October 18, 2012. The margin of error is +/- 4 percentage points.  Results from the poll conducted October 11, 2012 are in curly brackets.  Results from the poll conducted October 4, 2012 are in square brackets. Results from the poll conducted September 12, 2012 are in parentheses.  Results from the poll conducted August 15, 2012 are in curly brackets.  Results from the poll conducted July 9, 2012 are in square brackets.  Results from the poll conducted April 25, 2012 are in parentheses.  Results from the poll conducted March 13, 2012 are in curly brackets. Results from the poll conducted February 9, 2012 are in square brackets.  Results from the poll conducted November 17, 2011 are in parentheses.

Inside the numbers:

Ninety-five percent (95%) of likely voters in the Sunshine State say they are certain to vote in this year’s election. Among these voters, it’s Romney 51%, Obama 47%.

Florida allows early voting, and among voters who have already voted, Romney's ahead 51% to 45%.

Among those who have yet to vote, 88% say they have already made up their minds which candidate they will vote for. Romney leads 54% to 45% among these voters.

Still, a plurality (49%) of all voters in the state expect Obama to win the election, while 38% think Romney will come out on top.

Florida voters now trust Romney more than Obama 52% to 44% when it comes to handling the economy. The GOP challenger has a similar 52% to 45% lead in voter trust in the area of national security.

Sixty-nine percent (69%) of voters in the Sunshine State are excited about the choice between Obama and Romney, while 29% say they will simply be voting for the lesser of two evils.

Fifty-one percent (51%) would turn to Romney for advice if they had to make the toughest decision of their life. Forty-two percent (42%) would ask the president instead. However, by a 50% to 46% margin, Florida voters think Obama understands the issues of the middle class better than Romney does.

Romney earns support from 83% of the state's Republicans, while 80% of Florida Democrats back Obama. Both candidates attract 16% of voters from their opponent's party. Romney leads 54% to 41% among voters in Florida not affiliated with either of the major political parties.