New polling data shows pro-abortion President Barack Obama continues to be plagued by low approval ratings — and they also show four of the leading Republican presidential candidates fare well in potential head-to-head matchups.
A new Gallup poll from Monday shows former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney would beat Obama among registered voters if the election were held today and Romney was the Republican presidential nominee. Romney is the only candidate leading Obama among registered voters, 48 percent to 46 percent, with 6 percent undecided, the Gallup survey shows.
Texas Gov. Rick Perry would tie Obama and Obama only leads Rep. Ron Paul by two percent and only leads Rep. Michele Bachmann by four percent. Perry and Obama are tied at 47 percent among registered voters, also with 6 percent undecided. Obama would beat Paul, 47 percent to 45 percent, and defeat Bachmann by a 4-point margin, 48 percent to 44 percent.
Gallup also found Obama’s numbers with independent voters are not good for the abortion advocate. Each of the Republicans in the poll, except Bachmann, lead Obama among registered voters who consider themselves independents. Romney leads 47-44 percent, Perry leads 46-44 percent, Paul leads 46-43 percent, while Bachmann trails Obama, 48 percent to 42 percent.
Meanwhile, Obama hit a new low in the Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll, which measures the intensity of support or opposition to Obama. Today’s new survey shows 19% of the nation’s voters Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as president while 45 percent Strongly Disapprove, giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -26.
“This is the lowest Approval Index rating yet measured for President Obama. The previous low was -24 reached yesterday and also in September 2010,” Rasmussen indicated. “Additionally, the level of Strong Approval matches the lowest yet recorded. By way of comparison, President Bush had ratings near the end of his second term in the minus 30s.”
Ed Morrissey of the conservative blog Hot Air responded to the new numbers and what the mean for Obama’s re-election chances.
“It’s not really news that Obama has begun to explore approval ratings in his first term seen by Bush in his second term, but this measure points out a more nuanced problem for Obama,” he said. “A lack of strong approval means a lack of energy for a re-election campaign. At 19%, Obama’s enthusiastic support now comprises only a part of the natural Democratic base. Obama will have to count on a lower level of engagement and volunteerism for his next campaign — perhaps a much lower level.”
