President Obama remains resurgent, according to a NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, continuing a recent surge in public support for the president.
Fifty percent of Americans approve of the president’s job performance, his highest mark since the killing of Osama Bin Laden, while 45 percent disapprove. He leads former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney 50 percent to 44 in a hypothetical match-up, an improvement from December, when he was effectively tied with Romney.
The poll showed Obama’s approval rating has now improved to 45 percent among white women, a key voting bloc. Those numbers could stem from the improving economy, which has helped Obama’s ratings overall, or the controversies in the GOP primary, particularly the recent debate on contraception.
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“President Obama is probably in the best political shape he’s been in since his initial year as president,” Democratic pollster Peter Hart told NBC News’ Mark Murray.
While the election is still eight months away, and the Republicans have not even chosen their candidate yet, the poll was full of good news for Obama. Not only are his numbers on the rise, but the survey suggested the Republication nomination process has damaged all of the candidates, including Romney.
About 40 percent in the poll said the nomination process has given them a less favorable impression of the GOP, while only one in ten now have a more favorable opinion.
The survey comes on the eve of perhaps the most important day of the Republican nomination process, as 11 states will hold primaries and caucuses on ‘Super Tuesday.’
Follow Perry Bacon Jr. on Twitter at @perrybaconjr