US President Barack Obama, who is seeking a re-election, has consolidated his position among independent voters over his possible Republican challenger Mitt Romney in 12 key states, a latest opinion poll has said.
"Barack Obama has a 48% to 39% advantage over Mitt Romney among independent voters in 12 key swing states. He first moved ahead of Romney among this group in February after being tied in January and trailing last year," Gallup/USA Today reported from its latest opinion poll.
The poll was conducted March 20-26, among voters in Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
"Overall, Obama leads Romney by 51% to 42% in the swing states, his first lead in five waves of interviewing in those states," the poll said, adding that the movement toward Obama is essentially due to independents' changing preferences, because Democrats' and Republicans' preferences have been highly stable.
Since October, Obama has averaged an 87% to 10% lead over Romney among swing-state Democrats, while Romney has averaged a 90% to 6% lead over Obama among swing-state Republicans.
According to the poll Obama's standing against Romney has improved substantially in the swing states among women. Among independents, he has gained among both men and women, but more so among women.
In combined data from October and December 2011, Obama trailed Romney by 11 percentage points among independent men and five points among independent women.
In combined data from February and March, Obama has a one-point advantage among independent men and a 14-point advantage among independent women, it said.
Obama's share of the vote has increased by eight percentage points among both independent men and women in swing states since last year, the poll said.
"As would be expected, Romney's share of the vote has correspondingly decreased, but it has dropped significantly more among women (11 points) than among men (four points)," it said.
