Poll Watch: Quinnipiac/New York Times/CBS News Virginia 2012 Presidential Survey

Quinnipiac/NY Times/CBS Virginia 2012 Presidential Poll

• Barack Obama 51% [50%] (49%)
• Mitt Romney 46% [46%] (45%)

Among Independents

• Barack Obama 48% [42%] (43%)
• Mitt Romney 46% [53%] (50%)

Among Men

• Mitt Romney 52% [51%] (50%)
• Barack Obama 45% [45%] (45%)

Among Women

• Barack Obama 56% [54%] (54%)
• Mitt Romney 40% [42%] (40%)

(Among Obama Voters) Would you describe your support for Barack Obama as strongly favoring him, or do you like him but with reservations, or do you support him because you dislike Mitt Romney?

• Strongly favor Barack Obama 72% [71%] (68%)
• Like but with reservations 23% [24%] (25%)
• Dislike Mitt Romney 5% [4%] (7%)

(Among Romney Voters) Would you describe your support for Mitt Romney as strongly favoring him, or do you like him but with reservations, or do you support him because you dislike Barack Obama?

• Strongly favor Mitt Romney 62% [55%] (40%)
• Like but with reservations 27% [28%] (36%)
• Dislike Barack Obama 9% [15%] (22%)

Favorable / Unfavorable {Net}

• Barack Obama 54% [53%] (50%) / 43% [43%] (46%) {+11%}  
• Joe Biden 43% [42%] / 39% [42%] {+4%}
• Paul Ryan 38% [37%] / 34% [37%] {+4%}
• Mitt Romney 46% [45%] (40%) / 46% [44%] (44%) {0%}

Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling his job as President?

• Approve 52% [49%] (47%)
• Disapprove 46% [47%] (49%)

Do you think Joe Biden is or is not qualified to serve as President if it becomes necessary, or don't you know enough about Joe Biden to say?

• Qualified 45%
• Not qualified 33%
• Don't know enough 20%

Do you think Paul Ryan is or is not qualified to serve as President if it becomes necessary, or don't you know enough about Paul Ryan to say?

• Qualified 34%
• Not qualified 28%
• Don't know enough 36%

Would you say that Barack Obama cares about the needs and problems of people like you or not?

• Yes 63% [59%] (59%)
• No 34% [37%] (37%)

Would you say that Mitt Romney cares about the needs and problems of people like you or not?

• Yes 46% [44%] (44%)
• No 49% [50%] (48%)

How confident are you in Barack Obama's ability to be an effective Commander-in-Chief of the nation's military?

• Very confident 41% [38%]
• Somewhat confident 18% [22%]
• Not too confident 16% [13%]
• Not at all confident 25% [27%]
  

How confident are you in Mitt Romney's ability to be an effective Commander-in-Chief of the nation's military?

• Very confident 25% [23%]
• Somewhat confident 30% [31%]
• Not too confident 19% [19%]
• Not at all confident 25% [25%]

Would you say that Barack Obama has strong leadership qualities or not?

• Yes 62%
• No 37%

Would you say that Mitt Romney has strong leadership qualities or not?

• Yes 64%
• No 30%

Would you say that Barack Obama is honest and trustworthy or not?

• Yes 59%
• No 38%

Would you say that Mitt Romney is honest and trustworthy or not?

• Yes 47%
• No 46%

Do you think Barack Obama has clearly explained his specific plans for the next four years, or hasn't he clearly explained them? 

• Yes, explained 49%
• No, has not 48%

Do you think Mitt Romney has clearly explained his specific plans for the next four years, or hasn't he clearly explained them?

• Yes, explained 34%
• No, has not 63%

Regardless of how you intend to vote, who do you think would do a better job on the economy, Barack Obama or Mitt Romney?

• Barack Obama 48% [49%] (45%)
• Mitt Romney 48% [47%] (47%)

Regardless of how you intend to vote, who do you think would do a better job on health care, Barack Obama or Mitt Romney?

• Barack Obama 54% [52%] (49%)
• Mitt Romney 42% [44%] (42%)

Regardless of how you intend to vote, who do you think would do a better job on Medicare, Barack Obama or Mitt Romney?

• Barack Obama 55% [52%]
• Mitt Romney 40% [42%]

Regardless of how you intend to vote, who do you think would do a better job on taxes, Barack Obama or Mitt Romney?

• Barack Obama 50% [50%]
• Mitt Romney 44% [45%]

Regardless of how you intend to vote, who do you think would do a better job handling an international crisis, Barack Obama or Mitt Romney?

• Barack Obama 53% [53%]
• Mitt Romney 42% [42%]

Regardless of how you intend to vote, who do you think would do a better job on energy issues, Barack Obama or Mitt Romney?

• Barack Obama 49%
• Mitt Romney 44%

Regardless of how you intend to vote, who do you think would do a better job on the budget deficit, Barack Obama or Mitt Romney?

• Mitt Romney 51%
• Barack Obama 43%

Regardless of how you intend to vote, who do you think would do a better job on helping the middle class, Barack Obama or Mitt Romney?

• Barack Obama 55%
• Mitt Romney 42%

Did the presidential debate make you more likely to vote for Barack Obama, less likely, or did it have no effect on your vote choice? 

• More likely 10%
• Less likely 18%
• Had no effect 70%

Did the presidential debate make you more likely to vote for Mitt Romney, less likely, or did it have no effect on your vote choice?

• More likely 23%
• Less likely 12%
• Had no effect 63%

Who do you think will win the vice presidential debate, Joe Biden or Paul Ryan?  

• Paul Ryan 41%
• Joe Biden 36%

Survey of 1,288 likely voters was conducted October 4-9, 2012.  The margin of error is +/- 2.7 percentage points.  Party ID: 31% [35%] (30%) Democrat; 28% [24%] (23%) Republican; 35% [36%] (40%) Independent; 5% [4%] (8%) Other.  Results from the poll conducted September 11-17, 2012 are in square brackets.  Results from the poll conducted July 31 - August 6, 2012 are in parentheses.