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Poll Analysis: Obama leads Romney

by Darryl — Wednesday, 3/21/12, 3:52 pm


Obama Romney
100.0% probability of winning 0.0% probability of winning
Mean of 339 electoral votes Mean of 199 electoral votes

It’s been a couple of weeks since I’ve posted one of these analyses. Pollsters have been rather focused on the G.O.P. primary and not so much on the general election, so there have only been twelve new state head-to-head polls to incorporate into a new analysis.

start end sample % % %
st poll date date size MOE O R diff
AZ Rasmussen 13-Mar 13-Mar 500 4.5 40 51 R+11
FL Rasmussen 13-Mar 13-Mar 500 4.5 46 43 O+3
ME PPP 02-Mar 04-Mar 1256 2.8 58 35 O+23
MO Rasmussen 14-Mar 15-Mar 500 4.5 41 50 R+9
NE Rasmussen 05-Mar 05-Mar 500 4.5 35 52 R+17
NJ Fairleigh Dickinson U 05-Mar 11-Mar 800 3.5 50 37 O+13
NM Rasmussen 14-Feb 14-Feb 500 4.5 55 36 O+19
NY Siena 26-Feb 29-Feb 808 3.4 60 34 O+26
NC PPP 08-Mar 11-Mar 804 3.5 49 46 O+3
PA PPP 08-Mar 12-Mar 689 4.1 49 42 O+7
PA Quinnipiac 07-Mar 12-Mar 1256 2.8 46 40 O+6
VA Quinnipiac 13-Mar 18-Mar 1034 3.1 50 42 O+8

The three new polls from two traditional swing states all favor Obama, with +3% in Florida and +6% & +7% in Pennsylvania.

The good news for Obama comes from three states that went for Bush in 2004 and Obama in 2008: New Mexico where Obama has a remarkable +19% lead, Virginia where Obama is up by +8%, and North Carolina where Obama has ekes out a +3%.

The good news for Romney is Missouri, which McCain barely won in 2008, and that has now swung to the right: Romney leads Obama by a solid +9%.

The previous Monte Carlo analysis showed President Barack Obama leading Mitt Romney by an average of 341 to 197 electoral votes, and 100% probability of winning an election held then.

Now, after 100,000 simulated elections, Obama wins every time, so he is still expected to win an election held now with 100% probability. Obama receives an average of 339 to Romney’s 199 electoral votes.

Electoral College Map

Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Lousiana Maine Maryland Massachusettes Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia D.C. Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

Electoral College Map

Georgia Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Delaware Connecticut Florida Mississippi Alabama Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia D.C. Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

Here is the distribution of electoral votes [FAQ] from the simulations:

Ten most probable electoral vote outcomes for Obama:

  • 351 electoral votes with a 4.99% probability
  • 342 electoral votes with a 3.98% probability
  • 350 electoral votes with a 3.54% probability
  • 341 electoral votes with a 3.14% probability
  • 347 electoral votes with a 2.42% probability
  • 357 electoral votes with a 2.37% probability
  • 322 electoral votes with a 2.35% probability
  • 336 electoral votes with a 2.35% probability
  • 335 electoral votes with a 2.27% probability
  • 352 electoral votes with a 2.26% probability

After 100,000 simulations:

  • Obama wins 100.0%, Romney wins 0.0%.
  • Average (SE) EC votes for Obama: 338.5 (18.3)
  • Average (SE) EC votes for Romney: 199.5 (18.3)
  • Median (95% CI) EC votes for Obama: 341 (302, 370)
  • Median (95% CI) EC votes for Romney: 197 (168, 236)

Each column of this table shows the electoral vote total aggregated by different criteria for the probability of winning a state (Safe=100%, Strong=90%+, Leans=60%+, Weak=50%+):

Threshold Safe + Strong + Leans + Weak
Safe Obama 142
Strong Obama 140 282
Leans Obama 68 68 350
Weak Obama 1 1 1 351
Weak Romney 0 0 0 187
Leans Romney 21 21 187
Strong Romney 105 166
Safe Romney 61

This table summarizes results by state. Click on the poll count to see the individual polls included for the state.

0 0 EC # Total % % Obama Romney
4 8 Votes polls Votes Obama Romney % wins % wins
AL 9 1* 754 37.8 62.2 0.0 100.0
AK 3 0* (0) (100)
AZ 11 1 455 44.0 56.0 3.7 96.3
AR 6 1* 1744 40.4 59.6 0.0 100.0
CA 55 1* 460 62.0 38.0 100.0 0.0
CO 9 1* 730 51.1 48.9 66.4 33.6
CT 7 1* 435 57.5 42.5 98.6 1.4
DE 3 0* (100) (0)
DC 3 0* (100) (0)
FL 29 1 445 51.7 48.3 68.6 31.4
GA 16 1 1061 46.3 53.7 4.3 95.7
HI 4 1* 517 64.8 35.2 100.0 0.0
ID 4 0* (0) (100)
IL 20 1* 546 61.5 38.5 100.0 0.0
IN 11 0* (0) (100)
IA 6 1* 720 48.9 51.1 33.5 66.5
KS 6 1* 442 45.0 55.0 6.8 93.2
KY 8 1* 528 45.5 54.5 7.0 93.0
LA 8 1* 542 41.1 58.9 0.3 99.7
ME 4 1 1168 62.3 37.7 100.0 0.0
MD 10 0 (100) (0)
MA 11 2 966 61.2 38.8 100.0 0.0
MI 16 1* 2645 60.7 39.3 100.0 0.0
MN 10 1* 461 57.5 42.5 98.8 1.2
MS 6 1* 717 40.0 60.0 0.0 100.0
MO 10 1 455 45.1 54.9 6.3 93.7
MT 3 1 445 46.1 53.9 12.3 87.7
NE 2 1 435 40.2 59.8 0.2 99.8
NE1 1 1* 269 50.6 49.4 54.5 45.5
NE2 1 1* 204 45.6 54.4 19.1 80.9
NE3 1 1* 185 29.2 70.8 0.0 100.0
NV 6 1 470 53.2 46.8 83.2 16.8
NH 4 1* 446 55.6 44.4 95.1 4.9
NJ 14 2 1897 57.1 42.9 100.0 0.0
NM 5 1* 455 60.4 39.6 99.9 0.1
NY 29 1 760 63.8 36.2 100.0 0.0
NC 15 1 764 51.6 48.4 73.5 26.5
ND 3 1* 480 41.3 58.8 0.3 99.7
OH 18 1 1324 56.8 43.2 100.0 0.0
OK 7 0 (0) (100)
OR 7 1* 464 54.7 45.3 92.6 7.4
PA 20 2 1707 53.7 46.3 98.5 1.5
RI 4 1* 495 59.4 40.6 99.9 0.1
SC 9 1* 1833 51.7 48.3 85.9 14.1
SD 3 1* 442 44.3 55.7 5.0 95.0
TN 11 1* 1221 48.2 51.8 18.4 81.6
TX 38 1* 449 42.3 57.7 1.0 99.0
UT 6 1* 688 33.0 67.0 0.0 100.0
VT 3 1* 728 63.7 36.3 100.0 0.0
VA 13 3 2494 56.5 43.5 100.0 0.0
WA 12 1* 1150 58.3 41.7 100.0 0.0
WV 5 1* 811 38.0 62.0 0.0 100.0
WI 10 2 1273 54.0 46.0 97.8 2.2
WY 3 0 (0) (100)

* An older poll was used (i.e. no recent polls exist).

Details of the methods are given in the FAQ.

The most recent analysis in this match-up can be found from this page.

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Related

Comments

  1. 1

    Zotz sez: Google "Utah Data Center" and watch what you say. spews:

    Wednesday, 3/21/12 at 3:59 pm

    The good news for Romney is Missouri, which McCain barely won in 2008, and that has now swung to the right: Romney leads Obama by a solid +9%.

    If that’s a good (credible) poll, it’s bad news for McCaskill and the Senate. Also too, expect McCaskill to get all mavericky and shit.

  2. 2

    Michael spews:

    Wednesday, 3/21/12 at 4:14 pm

    Is there a reason other than corruption and/or stupidity that the Rasmussen scores are so different than everyone else?

  3. 3

    wharfrat spews:

    Wednesday, 3/21/12 at 4:22 pm

    @2 Michael….Rasmussen uses their own methodology and is generally considered to be biased in favor of Republicans. Last go round, when Harry Reid was challenged by Sharon Angle, our local right-wing media, the Las Vegas Review-Journal, used Rasmussen exclusively, publishing weekly polls showing Angle up by as much as 6 points. We all know how accurate that was.

  4. 4

    Zotz sez: Google "Utah Data Center" and watch what you say. spews:

    Wednesday, 3/21/12 at 5:35 pm

    @2 and 3: Rasmussen does “narrative” polling.

    It’s increasingly inneffective because it is discounted upfront by honest analysts.

    An immediate tell you’re being lied to is the use of a Rasmussen poll to support an argument.

  5. 5

    Roger Rabbit spews:

    Wednesday, 3/21/12 at 6:58 pm

    I assume these polls were taken before the Romney aide’s “Etch-A-Sketch” remark doomed Mittster’s candidacy. The only question now is whether Santorum will lose to Obama by an even bigger margin than Goldwater to LBJ. This year is shaping up to be 1964 all over again.

  6. 6

    Michael spews:

    Wednesday, 3/21/12 at 8:12 pm

    Yeah, baby!
    http://www.etchasketchmittromney.com/

  7. 7

    Liberal Scientist is a slut spews:

    Wednesday, 3/21/12 at 11:12 pm

    I’m not sure I buy South Carolina going Obama over Romney, unless the whole Mormon thing keeps the white fundies at home in a BIG way. North Carolina ditto, perhaps both it a Virginia a bit more favorable to Obama.
    Once again it comes down to Florida, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.

    Down with the Electoral College!

  8. 8

    Roger Rabbit spews:

    Thursday, 3/22/12 at 12:15 am

    Army mutineers in Mali, a sub-Saharan African nation, claimed they have seized power after shooting was heard in that nation’s capital.

  9. 9

    Ekim spews:

    Thursday, 3/22/12 at 7:54 am

    Rachel did a great story on the Etch-A-Sketch. Mittens company, Bain Capital, bought the Etch-A-Sketch company and moved manufacturing to China. The union jobs “Mittens, the job creator” eliminated here paid a whopping $9 per hour. The jobs “Mittens, the job creator” created there pays a more “reasonable” $.24 an hour. But you do get to work 84 hours a week there.

  10. 10

    rhp6033 spews:

    Thursday, 3/22/12 at 4:55 pm

    # 7: Perhaps we should just save a lot of time, energy, and money, and just let Florida, Ohio, and Pennsylvania decide who will be president?

  11. 11

    rhp6033 spews:

    Thursday, 3/22/12 at 5:04 pm

    I have to assume that the gap between Romney and the President is going to get a lot closer in the coming months. Romney’s bound to get some of the Santorum & Gingrich supporters to swallow their convictions and support Romney, just because he’s the only Republican candidate available. And Romney is bound to pick up some big super-Pac money to offset the lack of individual donations.

    The real test will be who will get the most “non-votes” – i.e.,those who fall to the far extremes of the political spectrum, and decide not to go to the polls. The President has a number of disenchanged liberals who think he’s to conservative, Romney has a lot of disenchanged Tea-Party types who think he’s a closet liberal.

    And then, there’s Ron Paul. Even if he doesn’t mount a third-party challenge, his supporters may have the same effect – by bleeding off votes from the Republicans by not voting at all.

  12. 12

    Sir David Beatty spews:

    Thursday, 3/22/12 at 5:16 pm

    8. Roger Rabbit spews:
    Army mutineers in Mali, a sub-Saharan African nation, claimed they have seized power after shooting was heard in that nation’s capital.

    who fucking cares.

  13. 13

    Politically Incorrect spews:

    Friday, 3/23/12 at 3:54 pm

    If GWB can get re-elected, so can the Milk Chocolate Messiah.

  14. 14

    Politically Incorrect spews:

    Friday, 3/23/12 at 3:55 pm

    @12,

    My guess is that only the people of Mali care.

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