Poll: Obama, Romney in dead heat

WASHINGTON, May 7 (UPI) -- U.S. President Obama and likely Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney are in a virtual dead heat six months before the election, a poll indicated Monday.

Romney edged Obama 48 percent to 47 percent among likely voters in the Politico-George Washington University Battleground Poll, but the number is within the margin of error.

Romney opened up a 10-percentage point lead over Obama, 48 percent to 38 percent, among independents and a 6-percentage point lead among those who said they were "extremely likely" to vote in November, results indicated.

Another poll, the Gallup-USA Today Swing State Poll, showed the two in a virtual dead heat in 12 battleground states, 47 percent for Obama and 45 percent for Romney. The poll was conducted as part of Gallup Daily tracking in Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

In the Politico-George Washington University poll, Obama holds double-digit leads over Romney on issues such as who will better handle foreign policy and who will stand up for the middle class and on "sharing your values."

Forty percent of Americans said they think Obama has improved the economy and 39 percent responded that he's made it worse. Nineteen percent said he has had no impact on it.

Obama's job approval rating is at 48 percent, equal to the percentage of voters who disapprove of his performance, Politico said.

Results are based on a nationwide survey of 1,000 likely voters conducted April 20-May 3. The margin of error is 3.1 percentage points.