Poll: Obama, Romney in dead heat

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WASHINGTON, April 18 (UPI) -- Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney closed in on President Obama among registered U.S. voters, putting the two in a dead heat, a CBS Poll indicated.

If the election were held today, Obama and Romney each would receive support from 46 percent of registered voters, results of a CBS News-New York Times poll released Tuesday indicated.

In March, a CBS News-New York Times survey showed Obama held a slight advantage over Romney, 47 percent to 44 percent.

The poll was conducted several days after former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum announced he was suspending his campaign, effectively paving the way for Romney to be the GOP presidential nominee in the fall. Texas Rep. Ron Paul and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich remain in the race but are well behind Romney in delegates and fundraising.

Forty percent of primary voters said they have reservations about Romney, while 33 percent said they support him "enthusiastically," results indicated

After Santorum's departure, Republican primary voters rallied behind Romney, with 54 percent saying they want him to lead Republicans into the fall campaign season, the poll indicated. In March, 30 percent of Republican primary voters said they wanted Romney to be the nominee.

Gingrich was preferred among 20 percent of Republican primary voters in the latest survey while Paul received support from 12 percent.

Results are based on nationwide telephone interviews with 957 adults conducted Friday through Tuesday. The margin of error for the entire sample is 3 percentage points.