Poll Watch: Rutgers-Eagleton New Jersey 2012 Presidential Survey

Rutgers-Eagleton New Jersey 2012 Presidential Poll

• Barack Obama 56% (51%) [56%] {58%} (56%)
• Mitt Romney 39% (37%) [33%] {31%} (31%)

Survey of 645 likely voters was conducted September 27-30, 2012. The margin of error is +/- 3.9 percentage points.  Results from the poll conducted August 23-25, 2012 are in parentheses.  Results from the poll conducted May 31 - June 4, 2012 are in square brackets.  Results from the poll conducted March 21-27, 2012 are in curly brackets. Results from the poll conducted February 9-11, 2012 are in parentheses.

Inside the numbers:

Voters picked Obama by a 52 percent to 43 percent margin on the issue of jobs and the economy, and 56 percent identified that issue as their top concern this year.

As the debate season kicks off with tonight’s debate in Denver, Colo., only 4 percent of those polled said they are still undecided.

Among those who identify with one of the two major political parties, 95 percent of Democrats say they support Obama and 94 percent of Republicans say they are voting for Romney.

Obama leads among independents by a 47 percent to 39 percent margin, up 3 percent from August. He also leads among men, 53 percent to 42 percent, and women, 58 percent to 36 percent.

Though Romney was never expected to have a significant chance to win left-leaning New Jersey, the poll results do show some signs of hope for the former Massachusetts governor. His standing among independents in New Jersey increased by 4 percent to a 40 percent approval rating in September, and his favorability rating among Republicans surged from 78 percent to 90 percent.