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A new poll shows that?Mitt Romney’s selection of Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) as running mate failed to give him a boost in the polls, leaving the presumptive GOP nominee locked in a tight race with President Obama.
The new poll released Wednesday by shows Obama leading with the support of 47 percent of registered voters to 46 for the Republican ticket.
Those numbers show little change from a June AP-GfK poll which found Obama topping Romney 47 percent to 44.
But Romney’s failure to pull ahead is hurting him perception-wise. Fifty-eight percent of those surveyed said they expected Obama to win, with 32 percent believing he would be defeated.
The poll finds Ryan, the House Budget Committee chairman, with a net positive favorability rating after a week and a half on the campaign trail.
Thirty-eight percent have a favorable view of Ryan to 34 unfavorable. Ryan fares better among registered voters who split 40 percent favorable to 34 unfavorable. But the poll finds that the seven-term Wisconsin lawmaker is still unknown to a quarter of voters.
On one of Ryan’s signature issues, Medicare, the poll finds those who see it as an important issue back Obama 49 percent to 44 for Romney.?
The poll also finds Obama viewed more favorably than Romney. Fifty-three percent hold a “favorable” view of Obama to 44 who have a positive view of Romney.
Asked which candidate better “understands the problems of people like you,” Obama tops Romney 51 to 36. Voters also say Obama would be stronger leader than Romney 50 percent to 41.
But, while trailing overall, the poll holds bright spots for the Romney campaign. The former Massachusetts governor leads among undecided, “true” independents by 41 percent to 30 percent.?
Voters are also split on Obama’s first term, with 49 percent approving of his job performance and 49 disapproving.
Voters continue to say the economy is central issue in the campaign with 9 in 10 saying it is an important issue and about half of those voters calling it “extremely important.”
Romney holds a slight edge on economic issues with 48 percent saying they would favor him to handle the recovery to 44 percent for Obama. But among independents, Romney’s lead swells: 46 percent to 27 support the GOP candidate on managing the economy.
Overall, 47 percent say Romney would do better boosting job growth to 43 for the president. Those surveyed also back Romney to tackle the federal deficit by 50 percent to 40 over Obama.
On social issues, Obama holds an edge on Romney. Voters say they prefer Obama’s stance on abortion 52 percent to 35 over Romney. Other polls have shown Obama with a strong lead among women voters, an edge which may grow amid the controversy over Rep. Todd Akin’s (R-Mo.) comments on rape and abortion.
Romney and much of the GOP leadership have urged Akin to exit Missouri’s Senate race after he said that in cases of “legitimate rape” the female body can prevent pregnancies, but Akin has rebuffed those calls.
The poll was conducted from Aug. 16 to 20 and has a 4-percentage point margin of error.