Mitt Romney's campaign has been busy trying to "expand the map,"![ext]()
and one of the potential states that looked to be in play was Michigan![ext]()
.
But a new poll from EPIC-MRA![ext]()
throws water on that issue this morning, as President Barack Obama maintained a 6-point lead over the Republican nominee.
Overwhelmingly, the key issue in Michigan is the auto bailout. And astoundingly, about one-third of Michigan voters are voting for Obama because of the issue.
From The Detroit Free Press![ext]()
, here's the key point:
“I think the auto issue ... has solidified things for Obama,” said EPIC-MRA pollster Bernie Porn, referring to the 2009 investment and structured bankruptcy of General Motors and Chrysler that was led by Obama's administration and is widely credited with helping both automakers return to profitability.
In recent days, however, Romney — who said in 2008 that he would have limited government help for the companies — has suggested in Ohio radio and TV spots that the rescue did more for jobs in China than in the U.S., despite the creation of thousands of jobs in Michigan and across the country. [...]
*Half of those polled said the rescue of GM![ext]()
and Chrysler was a deciding factor in their support — and of those, nearly two-thirds backed Obama*. Among the slightly less than half that said it wasn’t a deciding factor, Romney had the edge, but by less — 56% to 33%. Meanwhile, the number of Michigan voters giving Obama favorable marks rose 4 percentage points, to 55% from the survey early this month. Romney’s favorability remained constant, at 45%.
The auto bailout factor likely contributes to other internal measures that find Obama holding strong leads — on being "someone you can trust," on caring "about someone like me," on "standing up for his beliefs" and on being a stronger leader.
And the backlash over Romney's misleading comments over the past few days — including debunks from Chrysler and GM themsevles![ext]()
— will likely only further the divide between himself and the president in the final week of the campaign.
Please follow Politics![ext]()
on Twitter![ext]()
and Facebook![ext]()
.
Join the conversation about this story »![ext]()
Reported by Business Insider 7 minutes ago.
and one of the potential states that looked to be in play was Michigan.But a new poll from EPIC-MRA
throws water on that issue this morning, as President Barack Obama maintained a 6-point lead over the Republican nominee.Overwhelmingly, the key issue in Michigan is the auto bailout. And astoundingly, about one-third of Michigan voters are voting for Obama because of the issue.
From The Detroit Free Press
, here's the key point:“I think the auto issue ... has solidified things for Obama,” said EPIC-MRA pollster Bernie Porn, referring to the 2009 investment and structured bankruptcy of General Motors and Chrysler that was led by Obama's administration and is widely credited with helping both automakers return to profitability.
In recent days, however, Romney — who said in 2008 that he would have limited government help for the companies — has suggested in Ohio radio and TV spots that the rescue did more for jobs in China than in the U.S., despite the creation of thousands of jobs in Michigan and across the country. [...]
*Half of those polled said the rescue of GM
and Chrysler was a deciding factor in their support — and of those, nearly two-thirds backed Obama*. Among the slightly less than half that said it wasn’t a deciding factor, Romney had the edge, but by less — 56% to 33%. Meanwhile, the number of Michigan voters giving Obama favorable marks rose 4 percentage points, to 55% from the survey early this month. Romney’s favorability remained constant, at 45%.The auto bailout factor likely contributes to other internal measures that find Obama holding strong leads — on being "someone you can trust," on caring "about someone like me," on "standing up for his beliefs" and on being a stronger leader.
And the backlash over Romney's misleading comments over the past few days — including debunks from Chrysler and GM themsevles
— will likely only further the divide between himself and the president in the final week of the campaign.Please follow Politics
on Twitter and Facebook.Join the conversation about this story »
Reported by Business Insider 7 minutes ago.