Poll Watch: Rasmussen (R) Virginia 2012 Presidential Survey

Rasmussen (R) Virginia 2012 Presidential Poll

• Mitt Romney 49% {48%} [47%] (46%) {46%} [47%] (45%) {42%} [43%] (46%)   
• Barack Obama 48% {49%} [47%] (48%) {47%} [47%] (44%) {51%} [49%] (45%) 
• Some other candidate 0% {1%} [3%] (2%) {3%} [3%] (6%) {4%} [5%] (4%)
• Undecided 3% {2%} [3%] (3%) {3%} [3%] (5%) {4%} [3%] (5%)

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

• Very favorable 35% {31%} [31%] (28%) {24%} (17%)
• Somewhat favorable 19% {19%} [19%] (25%) {24%} (30%)
• Somewhat unfavorable 17% {15%} [15%] (14%) {22%} (22%)
• Very unfavorable 28% {33%} [33%] (32%) {28%} (28%)

Favorable / Unfavorable {Net}

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

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

• Strongly approve 38% {40%} [33%] (36%) {31%} [35%] (33%) {34%} [31%]
• Somewhat approve 15% {11%} [17%] (13%) {17%} [14%] (14%) {19%} [20%]
• Somewhat disapprove 6% {5%} [6%] (8%) {6%} [10%] (8%) {5%} [8%]
• Strongly disapprove 41% {45%} [43%] (42%) {43%} [40%] (43%) {40%} [38%]

President Obama Job Approval

• Approve 53% {51%} [50%] (49%) {48%} [49%] (47%) {53%} [51%]
  
• Disapprove 47% {50%} [49%] (50%) {49%} [50%] (51%) {45%} [46%]
  

Survey of 500 likely voters was conducted October 4, 2012. The margin of error is +/- 4.5 percentage points. Results from the poll conducted September 13, 2012 are in curly brackets. Results from the poll conducted August 23, 2012 are in square brackets.  Results from the poll conducted August 7, 2012 are in parentheses.  Results from the poll conducted July 16-17, 2012 are in curly brackets.  Results from the poll conducted June 3, 2012 are in square brackets.  Results from the poll conducted April 23, 2012 are in parentheses.  Results from the poll conducted March 20, 2012 are in curly brackets.  Results from the poll conducted February 21, 2012 are in square brackets.  Results from the poll conducted September 28, 2011 are in parentheses.

Inside the numbers:

Both candidates earn nearly 90% support from voters in their respective parties. Romney posts a 51% to 44% lead among voters not affiliated with either major party.

Romney leads by 17 points among male voters, while Obama is ahead by 12 among female voters. Most married voters favor the Republican. The president is ahead among unmarrieds.

Obama continues to lead among voters under 40, while Romney remains ahead among older voters.

Among all Virginia voters, the candidates also are tied when it comes to the key issue of the economy. Forty-eight percent (48%) trust the president more when it comes to handling the economy, while 47% trust Romney more. Three weeks ago, Romney had a 49% to 47% edge in voter trust on the economy.

Forty-four percent (44%) think the economy will get better if Obama is reelected and Democrats take full control of the Congress. Forty-five percent (45%) believe that to be true if Romney is elected and Republicans take over the Congress. Forty-one percent (41%) say the economy will get worse if Romney and the GOP win, but even more (46%) predict a worsening economy if Obama and the Democrats come out on top.

When it comes to national security, the candidates are also virtually tied in terms of voter trust, with Obama holding a 49% to 48% edge. He led by three points in this area – 50% to 47% - in mid-September.