Poll Watch: Washington Times/Zogby 2012 Presidential Survey

Washington Times/Zogby 2012 Presidential Poll

• Mitt Romney (R) 45.1% [41.1%] {45.7%} (42.8%) [43.6%]
• Barack Obama (D) 44.5% [49.7%] {45.7%} (42.0%) [43.2%]
• Not sure 10.4% [9.2%] {5%} [13.0%]

(Among Obama Voters) Which of the following best describes why you are voting for Barack Obama?

• Want to see him re-elected 66.6% [61.3%]
• Really dislike Romney 14.7% [14.5%]
• Simply voting for Democrat 8.5% [9.1%]
• He is the lesser of two evils 8.2% [11.7%]
• Not sure 2.0% [3.4%]

(Among Romney Voters) Which of the following best describes why you are voting for Mitt Romney?

• Think he is the best candidate 69.4% [58.2%]
• Really dislike Obama 13.4% [16.0%]
• He is the lesser of two evils 12.8% [16.1%]
• Simply voting for GOP 2.4% [5.8%]
• Not sure 2.1% [3.9%]

If the presidential election were held today, for whom would you vote?

• Barack Obama (D) 45.5% [48.7%]
• Mitt Romney (R) 45.0% [41.2%]
• Gary Johnson (L) 1.7% [1.2%]
• Jill Stein (G) 0.3% [0.7%]
• Virgil Goode (C) 0.0% [0.2%]
• Not sure 7.4% [8.0%]

Which candidate do you think would do a better job on:

Jobs and the economy

• Mitt Romney 50.3%
• Barack Obama 43.9%

Foreign affairs

• Barack Obama 49.5%
• Mitt Romney 43.9%

National security

• Mitt Romney 48.0%
• Barack Obama 45.1%

Energy

• Barack Obama 46.0%
• Mitt Romney 45.8%

Immigration

• Barack Obama 48.0%
• Mitt Romney 41.4%

The presidential candidates just held their first debate. Did you watch it?

• Yes, I watched all or most of it 62.1%
• Yes, I saw some of it 16.5%
• Did not watch, but I saw news reports (TV, Internet, radio) 11.2%
• Did not watch or see news reports 9.1%
• Not sure 1.2%
  

Based on what you saw or read about the debate, who do you think won?

• Mitt Romney 64.9%
• Barack Obama 14.4%
• It was a tie 13.0%
• Not sure 7.7%

Based on what you saw or read about the debate, did it change your support for either candidate?

• Yes, in favor of Mitt Romney 8.7%
• Yes, in favor of Barack Obama 4.5%
• No change in my support 85.2%
• Not sure 1.6%
  

In the debate, Mitt Romney said he can cut tax rates across the board to boost jobs while still finding a way to balance the deficit. Barack Obama said the math doesn't add up, and
Romney cannot do both. Which do you think is correct?

• Romney's math adds up - he can cut taxes and balance the budget 43.7%
• Romney's math doesn't add up, and he cannot do both 43.7%
• Not sure 12.6%
  

In the debate, Mitt Romney said he loves Big Bird, but called for eliminating funding for PBS, the station that airs "Sesame Street." Should funding for PBS be eliminated?

• Yes, the government cannot afford to subsidize public television 35.2%
• No, public television is a worthy place to spend taxpayers' money 55.3%
• Not sure 9.6%

Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. is scheduled to debate Republican nominee Paul Ryan Thursday.  Based on what you've seen of the two, who do you think will win that debate?

• Paul Ryan 46.4%
• Joe Biden 29.7%
• Not sure 23.9%
  

Regardless of whom you support, who do you think will win November's presidential election?

• Barack Obama 54.1% [57.4%] {48%} (44.9%)
• Mitt Romney 32.4% [29.9%] {37%} (32.8%)

Survey of 800 likely voters was conducted October 5-7, 2012.  The margin of error is +/- 3.5 percentage points. Party ID: 38% Democrat; 35% Republican; 27% Independent.  Ideology: 43% Conservative; 36% Moderate; 21% Liberal.  Results from the poll conducted September 27-29, 2012 are in square brackets.  Results from the poll conducted August 23-25, 2012 are in curly brackets. Results from the poll conducted July 6-8, 2012 are in parentheses.  Results from the poll conducted May 11-12, 2012 are in square brackets.