2012 Match-ups: Obama, Romney Tied at 45%; Obama 48%, Palin 42%
If the 2012 presidential election were held today, President Obama and possible Republican nominee Mitt Romney would be all tied up at 45% each, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.
The president, seeking a second four-year term, beats another potential GOP rival, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, by six points – 48% to 42%.
In both match-ups, seven percent (7%) like some other candidate, with three percent (3%) undecided.
Palin is second only to Romney as the presidential candidate Republican voters say right now that they’ll vote for in 2012 state GOP primaries. But she’s also one of two candidates they least hope wins the party’s nomination.
Last November, Obama defeated Republican presidential nominee John McCain by a 53% to 46% margin.
When Romney is the Republican nominee, he beats Obama among unaffiliated voters 48% to 41%. But when Palin is the GOP candidate, unaffiliated voters prefer Obama by a 47% to 41% margin.
Men prefer the Republican over Obama whether it’s Romney or Palin, while women like the president better in both match-ups. Palin continues to fare more poorly among women than her male rivals.
Those who say economic and fiscal issues are their biggest concerns make up the majority of Republican voters, and Romney runs best among those voters if the 2012 GOP Presidential Primary in their state was held today. Palin is the top choice for those Republicans who put national security first and ties Romney for first among voters who list economic issues alone as the priority.
