If the election were held today, both Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich would lose to President Obama according to a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News survey. But given the choice between Obama and “the Republican candidate,” Americans choose the Republican by a 45%-43% margin.
Only 46% of Americans approve of the job Obama is doing as president, but Obama bests Romney 47%-45% in a head-to-head match-up among registered voters. That is a four point improvement for Romney over last month’s 49%-43% spread.
Obama crushes Gingrich head-to-head match-up by a double digit 51%-40% margin and half of all registered voters say they would never vote for Gingrich. Only 44% say the same thing about Romney.
Asked if they were “certain to vote for Barack Obama no matter whom the Republicans nominate for president” or “certain to vote against Barack Obama no matter whom the Republicans decide to nominate,” registered voters split 34% for Obama, 37% against. Twenty-seven percent said they “may vote for or against Barack Obama depending upon whom the Republicans nominate for president.”
