Mitt Romney leads President Obama by 6 percentage points among likely voters nationwide, according to Gallup's seven-day tracking poll. The result, 51 percent to 45 percent, is a small 1 point drop for Romney from Sunday. Among registered voters, the poll tightened more significantly, showing Obama just behind Romney 47 percent to 48 percent. The difference between the two findings is significant and the reason Obama's campaign has criticized Gallup.
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The widely-respected pollster has shown the largest lead for Romney lately, prompting the Obama campaign to complain that its likely voter screen -- the seven questions it asks respondents to figure out if they'll actually bother to vote -- knocks out too many Obama voters. Other polls have showed Romney with momentum, but not a lead On Sunday, Gallup showed Romney leading 52 percent to 45 percent, which was slightly better than Romney's showing Saturday, which was a lead of 51 percent to 45 percent. Why does each day matter? Because it's folding in results from voters who saw the second presidential debate -- the one Obama won -- while dropping the oldest results from before the debate last Thursday. Obama's victory isn't earning him the same swing in polls that Romney's victory in the first debate did for the Republican. At least, not in Gallup's findings.
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Romney is averaging a 0.6 point lead in national polls.