President Barack Obama’s approval rating went from a positive 50 – 43 split last month to a 41 – 47 negative one in the newest CBS News/New York Times poll. But that only brought his lead against former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney down three points nationally in the poll, 47 – 44, having been up on Romney 48 – 42 in February.
“Rising gas prices may be weighing on President Obama’s approval ratings: after topping off at 50% approval just last month, his rating has dipped to 41% today, the lowest of his presidency,” pollsters wrote in their analysis. “As has historically been the case, a majority of Americans (54%) believes a President can do a lot to control gas prices.”
Other pollsters have shown Obama’s approval dropping from a good showing in February afterwhich he opened up a solid lead against Romney. But in the last week that lead has disappeared, and Romney now leads a potential matchup in our TPM Poll Average.
