Polls

Polls: Obama holds 1-point lead in Fla., tied with Romney in NC

by Meghashyam Mali - 11/05/12 1:13 PM ET

Two new surveys from Public Policy Polling (PPP) show the presidential race in swing states Florida and North Carolina too close to call, with less than 24 hours until Election Day.

The latest PPP poll finds President Obama leading with 50 percent support to GOP nominee Mitt Romney’s 49 among likely Florida voters. In PPP’s survey, 473 Florida respondents selected Obama to 472 to Romney, a marker of how close the race is.

{mosads}In North Carolina, the poll finds the candidates tied at 49 percent, with 457 respondents picking Romney to 455 for Obama.

“It looks like Florida and North Carolina will be the two closest states in the country on Tuesday night,” said PPP President Dean Debnam, in a statement announcing the findings. “The candidates have been incredibly even[ly] matched for weeks now in both of those places.”

Other polls, though, have shown a wider advantage for Romney in both states. A Gravis Marketing poll Monday gives him a 4-point lead in North Carolina, with a Survey USA poll last week putting him up 50-45 in the Tar Heel State.

In Florida, a Times-Union poll put Romney up 5 points, at 52-47, with a Tampa Bay Tribune poll giving him a 6-point lead.

The PPP poll finds Obama up with female voters in Florida by 52-47 and winning Hispanics by a 53-47 margin. Romney holds the edge with men, at 53-47, and with seniors, at 61-38.

In North Carolina, Obama has built up a 54-45 advantage in early voting, but Romney is ahead 57-41 among those who will cast their ballot on Election Day.

While Democrats also hold a registration edge in the state, Romney is winning independents by 55 percent to 40.

As in Florida, Obama holds the edge in North Carolina with women, at 54-46, and young voters, at 55-42. Romney is boosted by a strong lead among men, who back him 54-44 over Obama, and with seniors, who split for the GOP nominee 58-41.

Voters in both states give the president a negative job approval rating, with Florida voters at 50 percent disapproval and 47 percent approval and North Carolina voters at 48-49 disapproval.

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Voters, by contrast, hold a favorable opinion of Romney in both states. Florida voters rate the GOP nominee at 50 percent positive, 46 percent negative, while North Carolina voters give him a 49-45 favorable rating.

The PPP polls were conducted from Nov. 3 to 4 and have a 3-point margin of error.

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