Poll: Obama Winning Over Floridians
MIAMI (CBS4) – With 2012 around the corner, a new poll released Thursday indicates that President Barack Obama may be sitting pretty in the crucial swing state Florida.
The poll by Quinnipiac University showed Obama's approval ratings have increased from a 44 percent to 52 percent negative rating in an April 7 poll, to a 51 percent to 43 percent approval rating.
Obama's new approval ratings are largely due to a major swing among independent voters, who in April disapproved of the president's performance 39 percent to 55 percent. On Thursday, Obama rang in approval ratings of 47 percent to 45 percent.
Democrats approve of the president's performance 86 percent to 11 percent, while Republican's continue to hold a negative view of Obama 84 percent to 13 percent.
"Whether these numbers represent a 'bin Laden bounce,' President Barack Obama's popularity is up in Florida, which will be a crucial state for him in the 2012 campaign," said Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.
Brown also noted Florida voters believe Obama deserves a second term by 50 to 44 percent. A complete turnaround from April's poll, in which they opposed a second term for Obama by 51 percent to 42 percent.
Floridians also prefer the president 44 percent to 37 percent when matched against an unnamed Republican.
Despite Obama's increased approval rating, the health care overhaul he championed still struggles to garner support. 49 percent of voters say it should be repealed compared to 41 percent who want it to remain.
Florida's freshman Republican state senator Marco Rubio received a stamp of approval from Florida voters with a 49 percent to 26 percent approval rating.
The poll also revealed that the swing-state is in an anti-war mood. Fifty six percent to 34 percent said the United States should not be fighting in Afghanistan. They also opposed American involvement in Libya by 57 percent to 33 percent.
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