Poll Watch: Rasmussen (R) Core Four States 2012 Presidential Survey

Rasmussen (R) Core Four States 2012 Presidential Poll

• Barack Obama 47% [47%] {46%} (46%) [44%]
  
• Mitt Romney 44% [42%] {42%} (42%) [44%]

• Barack Obama 49% [49%] {44%} (49%) [46%]
  
• Rick Santorum 42% [43%] {48%} (44%) [47%]
  

Among Independents

• Barack Obama 42% [44%] {40%} (42%)
• Mitt Romney 42% [36%] {44%} (40%)

• Barack Obama 46% [50%] {34%} (46%)
• Rick Santorum 42% [38%] {56%} (41%)
  

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

• Strongly approve 28% [24%] {29%} (24%)
• Somewhat approve 18% [23%] {19%} (24%)
• Somewhat disapprove 12% [8%] {10%} (13%)
• Strongly disapprove 40% [44%] {42%} (38%)

Survey of 500 likely voters in Florida, Ohio, North Carolina and Virginia was conducted March 24-29, 2012. The margin of error is +/- 4.5 percentage points.  Results from the poll conducted March 17-22, 2012 are in square brackets.  Results from the poll conducted March 10-15, 2012 are in curly brackets. Results from the poll conducted March 3-8, 2012 are in parentheses. Results from the poll conducted February 17-22, 2012 are in square brackets.

Inside the numbers:

Romney is ahead of Obama by 12 points among male voters, unchanged from last week, but Santorum holds a much narrower four-point lead among men. Female voters favor the president by 16 points over both contenders. Most voters under 40 like the president, while their elders prefer the Republicans in both matchups.