Poll Watch: Washington Post/ABC News 2012 Presidential Tracking Survey

Washington Post/ABC News 2012 Presidential Tracking Poll

• Barack Obama-Joe Biden 49% (48%) {48%} [48%] (47%) {48%} [48.44%] (49%) 
• Mitt Romney-Paul Ryan 49% (49%) {49%} [49%] (50%) {49%} [48.51%] (48%)

Among Independents

• Mitt Romney 53% (55%) {56%} [58%] (57%) {54%} [52%]
• Barack Obama 43% (40%) {40%} [38%] (38%) {42%} [43%]

Among Moderates

• Barack Obama 57% (57%) {56%} [56%] (56%) {57%} [57%]
• Mitt Romney 40% (39%) {41%} [40%] (40%) {40%} [40%]

Among Men

• Mitt Romney 52% (53%) {55%} [58%] (57%) {57%} [53%]
• Barack Obama 44% (43%) {42%} [40%] (40%) {40%} [43%]

Among Women

• Barack Obama 52% (52%) {54%} [55%] (54%) {56%} [53%]
• Mitt Romney 45% (45%) {43%} [42%] (43%) {41%} [44%]

(Among Obama Voters) Would you say you are very enthusiastic about supporting Barack Obama, somewhat enthusiastic, not so enthusiastic, or not enthusiastic at all?

• Very enthusiastic 66% (64%) {61%} [59%] (60%) {60%} [62%] (64%)
• Somewhat enthusiastic 30% (31%) {33%} [35%] (35%) {35%} [34%] (32%)
• Not so enthusiastic 2% (3%) {3%} [3%] (3%) {3%} [3%] (3%)
• Not enthusiastic at all 1% (1%) {1%} [2%] (1%) {1%} [1%] (1%)

(Among Romney Voters) Would you say you are very enthusiastic about supporting Mitt Romney, somewhat enthusiastic, not so enthusiastic, or not enthusiastic at all?

• Very enthusiastic 61% (59%) {59%} [58%] (60%) {62%} [62%] (58%)
• Somewhat enthusiastic 33% (36%) {35%} [35%] (33%) {31%} [32%] (35%)
• Not so enthusiastic 4% (3%) {5%} [5%] (5%) {5%} [4%] (5%)
• Not enthusiastic at all 1% (2%) {2%} [2%] (2%) {1%} [2%] (1%)

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

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

Regardless of who you support, which candidate do you trust to do a better job handling:

The economy

• Mitt Romney 49% (50%) {51%} [51%] (52%) {50%} [50%] (48%)
• Barack Obama 47% (45%) {44%} [44%] (43%) {44%} [45%] (46%)

Regardless of who you may support, who do you think better understands the economic problems people in this country are having?

• Barack Obama 50% (49%) {48%} [49%] (48%) {50%} [51%] (51%)
• Mitt Romney 44% (44%) {45%} [47%] (46%) {45%} [44%] (44%)

Do you think Obama does more to favor the middle class or more to favor the wealthy?

• Favor middle class 66% (66%)
• Favor wealthy 14% (15%)

As president, do you think Romney would do more to favor the middle class or more to favor the wealthy?

• Favor middle class 34% (33%)
• Favor wealthy 53% (54%)

Would you say you, yourself, are better off financially than you were when Obama became president, not as well off, or in about the same shape financially?

• Better off 22%
• Not as well off 33%
• About the same 45%
  

Survey of 1,259 likely voters was conducted October 25-28, 2012.  The margin of error is +/- 3.5 percentage points.  Party ID: 35% (35%) {35%} [34%] (34%) {34%} [34%] (34%) Democrat; 28% (28%) {29%} [30%] (30%) {30%} [29%] (29%) Republican; 34% (34%) {33%} [32%] (31%) {32%} [32%] (33%) Independent.  Results from the poll conducted October 24-27, 2012 are in parentheses.  Results from the poll conducted October 23-26, 2012 are in curly brackets.  Results from the poll conducted October 22-25, 2012 are in square brackets. Results from the poll conducted October 21-24, 2012 are in parentheses.  Results from the poll conducted October 20-23, 2012 are in curly brackets.  Results from the poll conducted October 19-22, 2012 are in square brackets.  Results from the poll conducted October 18-21, 2012 are in parentheses.