In the broadening fight for voters in the political middle road, a fast-growing number of Americans consider President Obama’s views as extreme, especially men, Christians and older voters, according to a new Rasmussen Reports poll. A majority view Mitt Romney as mainstream.

Those who view Obama as an extremist has surged seven points since May, a potentially troubling political turn as both he and Romney begin reaching out to independent voters. For his part, only 31 percent of likely voters polled June 29-30 saw Romney as extreme, virtually unchanged from a month ago, said Rasmussen.