MELVILLE, N.Y. — A majority of suburban voters disapprove of President Barack Obama’s job performance and prefer Republican candidate Mitt Romney in a head-to-head race, according to a new poll by the National Center for Suburban Studies at Hofstra University.
The poll of nearly 900 suburbanites nationwide shows increased dissatisfaction with the direction of the country — particularly the economy — and that most voters pin the blame on Obama.
Among suburban voters, Romney beats Obama 48 percent to 40 percent, the poll found. Among suburban independents, a critical base for Obama in 2008, the president loses to the former Massachusetts governor 54 percent to 29 percent. The other respondents preferred a third-party candidate, do not plan to vote, declined to answer or had not made up their mind.
“This shows Obama is in trouble,” said Lawrence Levy, executive dean of the National Center for Suburban Studies. “These are the voters that decide national elections on who will occupy the White House and Congress. And, if he can’t get them back, he has no chance.”
But Jay Jacobs, New York state and Nassau County Democratic chairman, said, “It’s way too early to be concerned” about poll numbers. “Voters do not even know Mitt Romney yet. I guarantee Barack Obama will win Nassau County.”
Obama would beat Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Herman Cain and Rep. Michele Bachmann in a head-to-head race, the poll shows. The survey was conducted before former House Speaker Newt Gingrich’s recent surge in the polls.
Obama also performs better among the urban and rural voters contacted by Hofstra, who chose him over Romney by 59 percent to 30 percent.
But overall, 80 percent of suburbanites are unhappy with the direction of the country, with many blaming Obama.
The survey found 52 percent of suburban voters are dissatisfied with Obama’s job performance, with the number climbing to 58 percent among independents.
In a Hofstra poll conducted last year, 44 percent of suburban independents indicated dissatisfaction with Obama’s performance. Sentiment among suburban Democrats and Republicans generally has not changed, Hofstra found.
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