Mitt Romney’s chances of winning presidential election were boosted today by two polls which gave him a slender lead over Barack Obama.
Polls by Gallup and Rasmussen both gave Mitt Romney 49% of the national vote, ahead of Barack Obama on 48%, flying in the face of other polls which had appeared to show the President in the driving seat over the weekend.
The slim advantage could allow Mitt Romney to snatch victory in the key swing states which he needs to win in order to carry him to the White House.
The odds had appeared to be stacking up against Mitt Romney winning on Tuesday. Among political journalists, campaign reporters and most pollsters, there was a congealing conventional wisdom that President Barack Obama was about to be re-elected, particularly after Hurricane Sandy.
On Sunday, a raft of new national polls from Pew put Barack Obama up three, and NBC/Wall Street Journal, which gave him a one-point advantage. Fox, GWU/Politico and ABC/Washington Post found a tie nationally.
Rasmussen poll released on Monday
The Gallup poll, released at lunchtime on Monday, was the first since the firm suspended operations during Sandy, and showed a small swing to Obama. Its last poll before the hurricane gave Mitt Romney 51% of the vote with the President on 46%.
Both candidates were plunged into frantic activity on the last full day of campaigning before Tuesday’s election.
Gallup poll released on Monday
Barack Obama scheduled appearances in Wisconsin, Ohio and Iowa alongside A-list celebrities including Bruce Springsteen and Jay-Z, while Romney planned a whistle-stop tour of four different swing states – Florida, Virginia, Ohio and New Hampshire.
The fact that both men included Ohio on their itineraries shows the crucial importance of the state, which both campaigns consider almost indispensable to their victory hopes.
Mitt Romney has raised $12 million in online donations over the last couple of days, and has also received a two point boost in the respected Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll after Denver debate.
The news comes as Barack Obama’s lacklustre showing continues to be mocked by top comedians – even those who are strong supporters of the President.
The poll shows Mitt Romney attracting support from 49% of voters nationwide, while President Obama earns the vote from 47%.
In addition, Mitt Romney’s campaign took in a donation haul of $12 million via his website in just 48 hours after the conclusion of the debate in Denver, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The bump in fundraising was even bigger than those recorded after the announcement of Paul Ryan as Mitt Romney’s running mate and the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold Barack Obama’s healthcare law.
In addition, 60% of those donating online had never given money to the campaign before.
The increase in small contributions from first-time donors is a significant change for Mitt Romney’s campaign.
The former governor of Massachusetts has previously relied more on large donations from wealthy supporters, in contrast to Barack Obama’s grassroots network of givers.
Other indicators of campaign strength have also been promising for Mitt Romney – aides have reported seeing an upturn in the number of volunteers at offices around the country.
It is still too early to tell whether the aftermath of the debate will shore up the candidate’s position in the polls over the long run, but early signs are encouraging for the Republican.
Rasmussen polls showed Mitt Romney gaining a lead in Florida and Virginia, both states which he must win in order to have a realistic shot at the White House.
Barack Obama has been the target of political satirists ever since his disappointing debate performance – and the jokes do not seem to be letting up.
Jay Leno made a reference to the huge audience for the televised event during his talk show on Friday.
“They’re saying close to 60 million people may have watched the debate,” he said.
“In fact, the only person who didn’t tune in, I think, was President Obama.”
Comedian Bill Maher, a passionate Obama supporter who gave $1 million to a Democratic super PAC, also had harsh words for the President.
“It looks like he took my million and spent it all on weed,” Bill Maher said.
However, Barack Obama also had good news as it was revealed that he and the Democratic party had together raised $181 million in September, the most lucrative month of his re-election campaign,
The President’s fundraising haul topped the $114 million raised during the month of August.
He said in a message on Twitter that more than 1.8 million people donated in September, including over 500,000 who had not donated before in 2008 or 2012.
The $181 million was slightly less than Barack Obama’s record of $190 million in September 2008.
