This is a good sign for the Republican Party. Now it is our job to select a candidate who can defeat President Obama in 2012.
Registered voters by a significant margin now say they are more likely to vote for the “Republican Party’s candidate for president” than for President Barack Obama in the 2012 election, 47% to 39%. Preferences had been fairly evenly divided this year in this test of Obama’s re-election prospects.
The latest results are based on a July 7-10 poll, and show that the Republican has an edge for the second consecutive month.
President Obama’s re-election prospects do not look very favorable at this point — if the election were held today, as measured by the generic presidential ballot. However, that result does not necessarily mean he is likely to be denied a second term in November 2012.
One key factor in determining Obama’s eventual electoral fate is whom the Republican Party nominates as its presidential candidate and the appeal that person has compared with Obama.
Read more from Jeffrey M. Jones At Gallup