Poll gives Obama edge over GOP foe in '12

PRINCETON, N.J., Feb. 11 (UPI) -- U.S. voters appear almost equally divided between re-electing Barack Obama in the 2012 election or voting for a Republican, a Gallup poll indicates.

Results based on a Feb. 1-3 sampling gave Obama, the Democratic incumbent, a slight edge, 44 percent, to 42 percent for the GOP nominee. The other 14 percent was undecided.

However, even with independents leaning in the Republican candidate's direction, Obama is tied among all voters because of the greater proportion of Democratic identifiers in the registered voter population.

Among the unannounced Republicans, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin are most frequently mentioned, by 14 and 11 percent, respectively.

Seven percent mention Arizona Sen. John McCain, the 2008 nominee. Newly elected Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown, former Arkansas Gov. and 2008 candidate Mike Huckabee and former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich are each mentioned by at least 3 percent of Republicans.

Results are based on telephone interviews with 1,025 national adults, aged 18 and older, conducted Feb. 1-3, 2010. For results based on the total sample of national adults, one can say with 95 percent confidence that the maximum margin of error is plus or minus 4 percentage points.