Independent Voters Swing to Obama

The prolonged Republican primary campaign appears to be taking a toll on independent voters’ faith in Mitt Romney. According to the latest Pew poll, only a minority of independents now describe Romney as “honest and trustworthy” and slightly more than half of independent voters now favor Barack Obama in a race against Romney, who led the president in that category only a month ago.

As is pointed out every four years or so, so-called independent voters typically decide presidential elections.

The survey shows Rick Santorum bolting into a tie with Romney among Republicans. Among registered voters of all stripes, Obama now leads Romney, Santorum and Newt Gingrich in hypothetical match-ups by 8, 10 and 18 points, respectively.

Obama fans would do well to not get too excited at this stage of the race. As of July 1988, Michael Dukakis held a 17-point lead over George H.W. Bush.  —PZS

(Hat tip Political Wire)

White House / Pete Souza

Vice President Joe Biden and President Obama must be pleased.