President Barack Obama and GOP challenger Mitt Romney are neck-and-neck in three key swing states — Iowa, Colorado and Nevada — all states that went blue for the Democrat in 2008, according to a new poll released Thursday.
The NBC News-Marist poll found Obama and Romney deadlocked in Iowa, each with 41 percent. In Colorado, Obama narrowly leads Romney 44 percent to 42 percent. In Nevada, the former Massachusetts governor slightly trails the president 44 percent to 46 percent. However, the numbers are all within the poll's 3 percentage point margin of error — indicating any of the three states will be up for grabs in the general election.
All three states said the economy as the most important issue in the 2012 presidential election with 72 percent reported in Iowa, 74 percent in Colorado and 78 percent in Nevada, according to the poll.
When asked who would best handle the economy, 46 percent of Iowans chose Romney where 41 percent said Obama. In Colorado, 46 percent of voters said Romney would handle the economy best compared to Obama with 42 percent. Nevada had both candidates tied at 44 percent, according to the poll.
Although Obama carried all three battleground states four years ago, George W. Bush won all in 2004.
Romney clinched the Republican Party's nomination after he won the Texas primary Tuesday and secured the 1,144 delegates.
The poll was conducted from May 22 to 24 by telephone interviews.
by RTT Staff Writer
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