WASHINGTON — President Obama saw his lead in battleground Virginia shrink in a new poll yesterday as another national survey found Mitt Romney pulling ahead to a 4-point lead among likely voters — the latest signs of a Romney surge after his debate performance.
Obama leads Romney, 50 percent to 47 percent, in Virginia, according to the latest Public Policy Polling survey — the tightest the Democratic-leaning poll has had the race all year.
Just three weeks ago, Obama’s lead was 51-46 in the same poll.
Virginia voters, by 61 percent to 28, say Romney won last week’s debate. He scored even better among independents, who say he beat Obama by 71 percent to 17.
Romney’s favorability rating, too, increased in Virginia, going from 47 percent favorable vs. 49 percent unfavorable three weeks ago to a positive rating of 52-44 in the latest survey.
Other polls have put the Virginia race closer, or given the lead to Romney, with the Real Clear Politics average of all polls over the last week putting Obama ahead by less than 1 point.
Other swing-state polling is also showing a tightening race. New Rasmussen Reports polls have Obama leading Romney 49-48 in Ohio and 49-47 in Iowa.
Nationally, a new Pew poll reveals a stunning turnaround for Romney, who grabbed a 4-point lead, 49-45, among likely voters, after trailing Obama by 8 points last month, 43-51.