February 2, 2012 | Clarus Research Group

Romney regains nationwide lead -- Obama ahead in OH -- Three rivals tie Sen. McCaskill -- Does government need a spring cleaning?

YOUR DAILY POLLING UPDATE

OBAMA APPROVAL AVERAGE: 47%
(down 1 from yesterday; up 1 from a week ago)

HISTORIC COMPARISONS

Carter at this point: 55%
Reagan at this point: 55%
Clinton at this point: 53%
Bush 43 at this point: 49%
Bush 41 at this point: 47%

NATIONWIDE: GOP NOMINATION*

Romney 31%
Gingrich 26%
Santorum 16%
Paul 11%

NATIONWIDE: GENERAL ELECTION**

Obama over Romney +4
Obama over Gingrich +12

Obama vote percentage: 47-50%.

OHIO: GENERAL ELECTION***

Obama over Santorum +6
Obama over Romney +7
Obama over Paul +10
Obama over Gingrich +12

Obama vote percentage: 48-51%. In 2008, he won Ohio with 51%.

NEVADA: GOP NOMINATION****

Romney 45%
Gingrich 25%
Santorum 11%
Paul 11%

MISSOURI: SENATE#

Sen. Claire McCaskill (D) 43% vs. Sarah Steelman (R) 43%
McCaskill (D) 43% vs. Todd Akin (R) 43%
McCaskill (D) 43% vs. John Brunner (R) 43%

Sen. McCaskill job rating:
42% approve, 49% disapprove

FEB. 7 FORUM: DOES GOVERNMENT NEED A
SPRING CLEANING?

Common Good and the Bipartisan Policy Center is co-hosting a forum on obsolete laws. Speakers include Sen. Mark Warner, Rep. Kevin Brady, Rep. Jim Cooper, Philip Howard, John Fortier, William Galston, Maya MacGuineas, Julie Barnes, and Alan Morrison.

TOPICS: Is America drowning in laws, regulations and bureaucracies that no longer work? Can we cut the deficit if we don't clean out obsolete law? Does government need basic overhaul?
WHEN: Tuesday, Feb. 7, 8:30 AM to noon. Discussion begins at 9 AM.
WHERE: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 1779 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC.
RSVP: E-mail rsvp@commongood.org

SOURCES:
Presidential job rating: average of the three most recently reported nationwide polls.
Historic comparisons: based on nearest chronological data points from Gallup surveys.
* Gallup, Jan. 27-31
** Rasmussen, Jan. 29-31
*** PPP(D), Jan. 28-29
**** Las Vegas Review Journal, Jan. 27-31
# PPP(D), Jan. 27-29