Romney, Obama See Favorability Ratings Bump with Different Groups

With two weeks to go before the 2012 elections, Mitt Romney has crossed an important threshold in his favorability rating with American voters.

BOCA RATON, Fla. — Mitt Romney crossed a major threshold early this week, moving above 50 percent in his favorability rating with voters, according to the Real Clear Politics average of polls — and for the first time in the campaign he now leads President Obama on that measure.

The Republican presidential nominee has clearly benefited from the debates. He had a 44.5 percent favorability rating at the end of September, before the debates. But by Monday, when he and Mr. Obama faced off for the final debate of the campaign, Mr. Romney’s favorability average was up to 50.5 percent.

Tom Jensen, director of Public Policy Polling, a Democratic firm, said Mr. Romney’s favorability surge “really has been remarkable.”

But all is not lost for Barack Obama. He has seen his favorability rise internationally. While Romney’s poll numbers continue to strengthen domestically, Obama has picked up key endorsements from Venezuela’s strongman Hugo Chavez, Cuba’s communist dictator Fidel Castro, and Russian leader Vladimir Putin. None of these figures like America, but they like Obama and want to see him re-elected.

Obama also has a crowd of MSNBC watchers who are willing to boo a 9-year-old girl for saying that Romney should win the election.