Poll shows rising approval for Obama in battleground Ohio

COLUMBUS, Ohio (CGE) - While the quartet of Republican presidential contenders have sliced and diced each other from the first primary in Iowa in early January to New Hampshire, North Carolina and Florida, where former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney won his second primary Tuesday after he and supporters spent millions to blister former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, in Ohio, citizens are warming up to President Obama, who won the always important battleground state 52-47 over Sen. John McCain four years ago, according to results of a new PPP poll (See poll results below).

 

"Things are looking up for Barack Obama in the crucial swing state of Ohio. His opponents are unpopular, his own numbers are on the rise, and as a result he holds a healthy lead over the entire Republican field of candidates," the poll said about its latest poll finding 48 percent of Ohio voters now approve of him. While the president's net approval has increased 8 points from 41/49 when PPP last polled the state in early November. his improved rating equals a like percentage of Ohioans who disapprove of him.

 

Close Obama backers say the historic confluence of new, minority, senior and student voters who sent him to the White House in 2008 needs to fall in love with him all over again this year, if he hopes to win a second term. 

 

In spite of the tremendous negative news GOP officeholders and candidates has done to label him, since he was elected, as someone who is against capitalism and for European-style social democracy, PPP says the sun is starting to again shine on the President. Obama has gone from a 73 percent approval rating with Democrats to 82 percent. And while PPP says he still remains unpopular with independents, he has nonetheless experienced a 13 point net improvement with them from -26 (30/56) to -13 (40/53).

 

The bread and circus spectacle of GOP White House hopefuls filleting each other for weeks on end from before the Iowa caucuses to today, and the forecast for more of the same is strong, has pushed all of them back on their heels at the same time President Obama's popularity is rising again.

 

According to PPP, only 28 percent of Ohioans have a favorable opinion of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney to 56 percent with a negative one. Independents (30/53) and Democrats (14/73) pretty universally dislike him and he's not that popular with Republicans (43/36) either. Ron Paul (27/57) and Newt Gingrich (25/59) are even more unpopular. Rick Santorum actually has the 'best' numbers of the Republicans in Ohio at 35/48.

 

Being the working-class, manufacturing state it is, it's no surprise that former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, who likes to cast himself as someone who understands the working class because he comes from a blue-collar background, comes the closest to Obama in Ohio. Santorum, who was finally declared winner of the Iowa caucuses, trails by 6 points at 48-42. 

 

As for Romney, a candidate Tea Party conservatives are not comfortable with, is down 7 at 49-42. Texas Congressman Paul is down 10 at 48-38, while Gingrich trails by 12 at 51-39.

 

This is the second consecutive Ohio poll PPP has found Romney trailing Obama by 7-9 points. Obama has a 45-40 lead with independents and a more unified party behind him. He's won the support of 84 percent of the Democratic vote to Romney's 80 percent of the Republicans. 

 

Based on an electoral college analysis PPP did last month, Obama, if he could win any one state out of Ohio, Florida, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina, would probably win reelection.

 

The poll states that while this is a good place for Obama to be, "it could change quite a bit once Republicans all get on the same page."