President Obama's popularity in Michigan has been waning recently, and according to the latest poll from EPIC-MRA of Lansing, it may be affecting his ground game.
The poll, released this morning to the Free Press and four TV stations, shows Romney leading Obama 46%-45%, a reversal from the last EPIC poll in April which showed Obama ahead 47%-43%.Obama’s personal and job approval numbers also have slipped, with 46% of Michiganders saying they have a favorable opinion of the president, and 41% approving of the job he’s doing.
EPIC co-founder John Cavanagh said the softening in support for Obama is likely related to a robust TV advertising campaign by pro-Romney PACs which have been critical of his handling of the economy. Perhaps most troubling for the Democratic president is a decline in support from independent voters, Cavanagh said.
These poll results are significantly different than others. Last month, the left-leaning Public Policy Polling (PPP) showed Obama leading Romney in Michigan by a wide margin -- 53-39 percent. Meanwhile, Karl Rove classifies Michigan as solidly Obama's while HuffPo says it's "leaning" Obama.