Fox News
Mitt Romney has the support of 49 percent of voters nationwide, compared to 47 percent for President Obama, according to a Rasmussen poll based entirely on interviews conducted after the first presidential debate Wednesday.
Two percent of those surveyed prefer some other candidate and 2 percent are undecided, according to the first daily presidential tracking poll for Sunday.
The results are based on nightly interviews and reported on a three-day rolling average basis. The numbers show a modest bounce for Romney following his strong performance in the debate with President Obama.
“It remains to be seen whether (the bounce) is a temporary blip or signals a lasting change in the race,” the polling firm said.
Scott Rasmussen, the firm’s founder and president, notes “incumbent presidents often struggle in the first debate and do better in the second.”
The firm also released a poll Sunday showing Romney closing the gap on the president in 11 swing states.
In those states, Obama earns 49 percent support, compared to Romney’s 47 percent.
Rasmussen said the race is the closest it has been since September 29 and is Romney’s best showing since the middle of last month.
However, the survey is based on findings from the previous seven days, so most of the responses were prior to the debate.
Rasmussen said the 11 states were won by Obama in 2008 and thought to be competitive in 2012. The states collectively hold 146 Electoral College votes and are Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin.