Thursday, October 23, 2008 - 9:45 AM
Quinnipiac Poll: Obama widens Ohio lead
Business Courier of Cincinnati
Voters’ economic worries have propelled Sen. Barack Obama over Sen. John McCain in Ohio and two other swing states, according to the latest results from the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.
Obama leads McCain 52 percent to 38 percent among likely voters in Ohio, according to the Quinnipiac poll. Among those who have already voted, Obama leads 71 percent to 20 percent.
That compares with 50 percent of Ohio likely voters who declared for Obama in Quinnipiac’s Oct. 1 poll, versus 42 percent for McCain.
In Pennsylvania, Obama leads McCain 53 percent to 40 percent, and in Florida, he leads McCain 49 percent to 44 percent.
Sixty-one percent of Ohio respondents named the economy as their biggest concern, and 55 percent think Obama would better handle that issue versus 36 percent for McCain. On foreign policy, however, 48 percent trust McCain to do a better job, compared to 46 percent for Obama.
“Voters are scared about their economic futures and have decided that Sen. Obama is Mr. Fix-It,” said Peter Brown, assistant director of the polling institute, in a news release.
Other Ohio results:
• Obama leads 58 percent to 33 percent among women; 46 percent to 44 percent among men; 94 percent to 3 percent among blacks; and 47 percent to 43 percent among whites.
• Independent voters prefer Obama 50 percent to 37 percent.
• 41 percent of likely voters give Republican vice-presidential candidate Gov. Sarah Palin a negative rating, while 37 percent view her positively. Democratic vice-presidential pick Sen. Joseph Biden is viewed favorably by 49 percent of likely voters, and 22 percent give him a negative rating.
• President George Bush’s approval rating is 22 percent in Ohio, versus 72 percent who take a negative view. In Florida, his approval rating is 27-66 percent, and in Pennsylvania, it’s 21-73 percent.
Hamden, Conn.-based Quinnipiac polled 1,360 likely voters in Ohio, 1,433 in Florida and 1,425 in Pennsylvania.
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