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A Closer Look at the Current State of the Presidential Election

By Lionel Boteju
Publisher, presidential-politics.com.
Updated on November 5, 2012

VERY COMPETITIVE STATES  are referred to as Swing States. A few of these states combined will decide the Presidential election.
Following are the candidates' standings in the thirteen swing states as per the latest available polls.
The number of electoral votes allotted to each state is in brackets.

Winning  any combination of  swing states that will give him 79 electoral votes will give President Obama a second term.
For Mr. Romney to win the Presidency, he needs to win any combination of swing states that will give him 90 electoral votes.

Also included are the states considered solid or leaning towards each party and the tally of their electoral votes.
Presidential election, 2008 results are also included for comparison purposes.

[CREDIT IS GIVEN TO GALLOP, POLITICS DAILY, REAL CLEAR POLITICS, ELECTORAL COLLEGE AND WIKIPEDIA THE FREE ENCYCLOPEDIA, 2012]

ARIZONA (11)

Obama      46%
Romney    53%
PPP (D)
November 4, 2012

Obama      44%
Romney    42%
Behavior Research Center
October 13, 2012

Obama       44%
Romney     42%
PPP (D)
October 3, 2012

Average of all Arizona polls
Obama      44.66%
Romney    45.66%

Arizona Vote In 2008:  
McCain 53.8% Obama 45.0%

COLORADO (9)

Obama       47%
Romney     45%
Denver Post/Survey USA
November 2, 2012

Obama      50%
Romney    48%
CNN/Opinion Research
November 1, 2012

Obama      47%
Romney    50%
Rasmussen Reports
November 1, 2012

Obama      50%
Romney    47%
WeAskAmerica
October 31, 2012

Obama      47%
Romney    48%
ARG
October 29, 2012

Obama      47%
Romney    46%
Purple Strategies
October 26, 2012

Obama      48%
Romney    48%
NBC/WSJ/Marist
October 25, 2012

Obama      51%
Romney    47%
PPP (D)
October 25, 2012

Average of all Colorado Polls
Obama      48.37%
Romney    47.37%

Colorado Vote In 2008:  
Obama 53.5% McCain 44.9%

FLORIDA (29)

Obama       47%
Romney     52%
Florida Times-Union/InAdv
November 5, 2012

Obama       49%
Romney     47%
NBC/WSJ/Marist
November 3, 2012

Obama       45%
Romney     51%
TBT/Herald/Mason-Dixon
November 3, 2012

Obama       48%
Romney     47%
CBS/NYT/Quinnipiac
October 31, 2012

Obama       47%
Romney     50%
Gravis Marketing
October 31, 2012

Obama       49%
Romney     50%
WeAskAmerica
October 31, 2012

Obama       47%
Romney     47%
Survey USA
October 30, 2012

Obama       49%
Romney     50%
CNN/Opinion Research
October 29, 2012

Obama       46%
Romney     51%
Sunshine State News/VSS
October 26, 2012

Obama       48%
Romney     50%
Rasmussen Reports
October 26, 2012               

Average of all Florida Polls
Obama      47.5%
Romney    49.5%

Florida Vote In 2008:  
Obama 50.9% McCain 48.4%

IOWA (6)

Obama       50%
Romney     48%
PPP (D)
November 4, 2012

Obama       46%
Romney     47%
Baydoun/Foster (D)
November 4, 2012

Obama        47%
Romney      42%
Des Moines Register
November 3, 2012

Obama       49%
Romney     45%
Gravis Marketing
November 2, 2012

Obama       48%
Romney     49%
Rasmussen Reports
November 1, 2012

Obama        49%
Romney      47%
NBC/WSJ/Marist
November 1, 2012

Obama       44%
Romney     45%
Univ. of Iowa
October 31, 2012

Obama        49%
Romney      47%
WeAskAmerica
October 31, 2012

Average of All Iowa Polls
Obama     47.75%
Romney    46.25%

Iowa Vote In 2008:  
Obama 54.0% McCain 44.7%

MICHIGAN (16)

Obama        46%
Romney      47%
Baydoun Foster (D)
November 4, 2012

Obama       52%
Romney     46%
PPP (D)
November 3, 2012

Obama        52%
Romney      47%
Rasmussen Reports
November 2, 2012

Obama       48%
Romney     45%
Detroit News
October 31, 2012

Obama       48%
Romney     42%
EPIC-MRA
October 31, 2012

Obama       47%
Romney     47%
Baydoun/Foster
October 24, 2012

Average of all New 
Michigan Polls
Obama     48.83%
Romney    45.66%

Michigan Vote In 2008:  
Obama 57.35%
McCain 40.90%

MINNESOTA (10)

Obama         53%
Romney       45%
PPP [D]
November 3, 2012

Obama         50%
Romney       43%
KSTP/Survey USA
October 31, 2012     

Obama        47%
Romney      44%
Star Tribune/Mason-Dixon
October 28, 2012

Obama        53%
Romney      45%
St. Cloud State U.
October 27, 2012

Obama       51%
Romney     46%
Rasmussen reports
October 23, 2012

Average of all Minnesota Polls
Obama    50.80%
Romney   44.60%

Minnesota Vote In 2008:  
Obama 54.2% McCain 44.0%

NEVADA (6)

Obama       50%
Romney     46%
LVRJ/Survey USA
November 1, 2012

Obama       50%
Romney     49%
Gravis Marketing
October 26, 2012

Obama       50%
Romney     47%
NBC/WSJ/Marist
October 25, 2012

Obama       50%
Romney     48%
Rasmussen Reports
October 24, 2012

Obama       51%
Romney     47%
PPP [D]
October 24, 2012

Average of all Nevada Polls
Obama      50.20%
Romney     47.40%

Nevada Vote In 2008:  
Obama 55.1% McCain 42.7%

NEW HAMPSHIRE (4)

Obama       50%
Romney     48%
PPP [D]
November 4, 2012

Obama       48%
Romney     48%
WMUR/UNH
November 3, 2012

Obama       50%
Romney     49%
Gravis Marketing
November 2, 2012

Obama       50%
Romney     44%
New England College
November 2, 2012

Obama       49%
Romney     47%
NBC/WSJ/Marist
November 1, 2012

Obama       49%
Romney     47%
PPP [D]
October 28, 2012

Average of all New Hampshire Polls
Obama     49.33%
Romney    47.16%

New Hampshire Vote In 2008:  Obama 56.7% McCain 42.0%

NORTH CAROLINA (15)

Obama        49%
Romney      49%
PPP (D)
October 31, 2012

Obama        45%
Romney      50%
Survey USA
October 30, 2012

Obama        45%
Romney      45%
ELON University
October 29, 2012

Obama        46%
Romney      52%
Rasmussen Reports
October 27, 2012

Obama        47%
Romney      48%
Civitas (R)
October 26, 2012

Obama        45%
Romney      53%
Gravis Marketing
October 26, 2012

Obama        48%
Romney      48%
PPP (D)
October 25, 2012

Average of all North Carolina Polls
Obama     46.42%
Romney    49.28%

North Carolina Vote In 2008: Obama 49.9% McCain 49.5% 

OHIO (18)

Average of all Ohio Polls
Obama     49.45%
Romney    47.36%

Ohio Vote In 2008:  
Obama 51.2% McCain 47.2% 

PENNSYLVANIA (20)

Obama       49%
Romney     46%
Morning Call
November 4, 2012

Obama      47%
Romney    47%
Tribune Review/Susquehanna
November 4, 2012

Obama       52%
Romney     46%
PPP (D)
November 3, 2012

Obama       49%
Romney     45%
Franklin & Marshall
October 31, 2012

Obama      49%
Romney    43%
Philadelphia Inquirer
October 27, 2012

Average of all Pennsylvania Polls
Obama     49.20%
Romney    45.40%

Pennsylvania Vote In 2008:  
Obama 54.7% McCain 44.3%

VIRGINIA (13)

Obama       49%
Romney     48%
WeAskAmerica
November 2, 2012

Obama       44%
Romney     49%
Roanoke College
October 31, 2012

Obama        49%
Romney      47%
CBS/NYT/Quinnipiac
October 31, 2012

Obama       51%
Romney     47%
Washington Post
October 27, 2012

Obama        48%
Romney      48%
Gravis Marketing
October 27, 2012

Obama       47%
Romney     47%
Purple Strategies
October 26, 2012

Obama        45%
Romney      47%
Fox News
October 25, 2012

Obama        48%
Romney      50%
Rasmussen Reports
October 25, 2012

Average of all Virginia Polls
Obama      47.62%
Romney     47.87%

Virginia Vote In 2008:  
Obama 52.7% McCain 46.4%

WISCONSIN (10)

Obama         51%
Romney       48%
PPP (D)
November 3, 2012

Obama         52%
Romney       45%
WeAskAmerica
November 2, 2012

Obama         49%
Romney       46%
NBC/WSJ/Marist
November 1, 2012

Obama         49%
Romney       49%
Rasmussen Reports
November 1, 2012

Obama         51%
Romney       42%
WPR/St. Notbert
November 1, 2012

Obama         51%
Romney       43%
Marquette University
October 31, 2012

Obama         49%
Romney       49%
Rasmussen Reports
October 26, 2012

Average of all Wisconsin Polls
Obama      50.50%
Romney     45.50%

Wisconsin Vote In 2008:  
Obama 56.3% McCain 42.4%

SOLID OR LEANING TO DEMOCRATIC PARTY

STATE                   ELECTORAL           2008 RESULTS
                              VOTES                    Obama Vs. McCain

California                      55                       61.01% to 36.95%
Connecticut                    7                       60.59% to 38.22%
Delaware                        3                       61.94% to 36.92%
District of Columbia        3                       92.46% to 6.56%
Hawaii                           4                       71.85% to 26.58%
Illinois                          20                       61.88% to 36.76%
Maine                            4                       57.71% to 40.38%
Maryland                      10                      61.92% to 36.47%
Massachusetts               11                      61.80% to 35.99%
New Jersey                  14                       57.14% to 41.61%
New Mexico                  5                       56.91% to  41.78%
New York                    29                       62.88% to 36.03% 
Oregon                          7                       56.75% to 40.40%
Rhode Island                 4                        62.86% to 35.06%
Vermont                        3                       67.46% to 30.45%
Washington                  12                       57.65% to 42.31% 
 TOTAL                    191                             

Winning any combination of swing states that will give him 79 electoral votes will give President Obama a second term.

SOLID OR LEANING TO REPUBLICAN PARTY

STATE                    ELECTORAL          2008 RESULTS
                               VOTES                   McCain Vs. Obama 

Alabama                            9                   60.32% to 38.74%
Alaska                               3                   59.42% to 39.23%
Arkansas                            6                   58.72% to 38.86%
Georgia                            16                   52.23% to 48.10%
Idaho                                 4                   61.30% to 35.96%
Indiana                              11                  48.91% to 49.95%
Kansas                               6                   56.50% to 41.17%
Kentucky                            8                  57.37% to 41.15%
Louisiana                            8                  58.56% to 39.93%
Mississippi                          6                  56.18% to 43.00%
Missouri                            10                  49.43% to 49.29%
Montana                             3                  49.43% to 47.17%
Nebraska                            5                   56.53% to 41.60%
North Dakota                      3                   53.97% to 44.47%
Oklahoma                           7                   65.65% to 34.35%
South Carolina                     9                  53.87% to 44.90%
South Dakota                      3                   53.16% to 44.75%
Tennessee                         11                   56.85% to 41.79%
Texas                                38                   55.39% to 43.63%
Utah                                   6                   62.25% to 34.22%
West Virginia                       5                   55.60% to 42.51%
Wyoming                            3                   64.78% to 32.54%
  TOTAL                         180  

For Mr. Romney to win the Presidency, he needs to win any combination of swing states that will give him 90 electoral votes.