Washington: As Barack
Obama and Mitt Romney go on a final campaign sprint, new polls in
two smaller battleground states show a close race in one and a
five point advantage for the president in another.
In Iowa, which has six electoral votes, Obama has an edge over the
Republican challenger Mitt Romney among likely voters, 47 percent
to 42 percent, according to a Des Moines Register Iowa Poll.
The race for four electoral votes in New Hampshire is a dead heat,
according to the WMUR Granite State Poll. Obama and Romney are
tied at 47 percent among likely voters, the poll showed.
When asked towards whom they are leaning, the state's small number
of undecided likely voters are evenly split, CNN reported.
Earlier two samples of Ohio, including a CNN/ORC International
poll, showed Obama had an advantage in Ohio. In Florida, one poll
showed Romney with an advantage and another showed Obama had an
edge.
Just over four in ten Iowa voters have already cast ballots, and
Obama has a 22 point lead among those who have voted early.
The poll also shows Romney with an eight point advantage among
those who plan to cast ballots on Election Day, and that early
voting has been lighter among the more Republican areas in the
state's Northwest.
Obama, whose win in the 2008 Iowa caucuses put him on his way to
the Democratic nomination and the White House, is scheduled to
headline his last campaign rally in Des Moines Monday, before
flying to Chicago where he will watch the results.
"Iowa, I started my presidential journey right here in this state.
After two years of campaigning and after four years as president,
you know me by now," Obama told about 5,000 supporters Saturday in
Dubuque. "You know I tell the truth. And you know I'll fight for
you."
Romney started the day telling New Hampshire voters that they
should vote for him "for love of country," and not revenge.
His comments came in response to Obama, who told supporters
yesterday not to boo Romney's name at rally in Springfield, Ohio.
"No, no, no -- don't boo, vote," Obama said. "Vote. Voting is the
best revenge."
He closed it in Colorado, a state Republicans have long described
as favourable ground. "The only thing that stands between us and
some of the best years we've ever know is lack of leadership," he
told 17,000 cheering supporters in Englewood.
(Arun Kumar can be contacted at arun.kumar@ians.in)
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