Gallup Poll: Presidential Matchup: Oct. 18 - Business Insider

AP

Mitt Romney widened his lead over President Barack Obama to seven points today, giving the Republican challenger his biggest lead yet in the poll and putting him well outside the margin of error.?

The seven-day tracking poll of likely voters showed Romney at 52 percent, up from 51 percent Wednesday. Obama's numbers stayed static at 43 percent.?

Today's results ? which include polling from last Thursday through yesterday ? are the first round of national poll numbers that factor in the second presidential debate.

Romney has been steadily gaining in the?Gallup?poll for the past two weeks, bolstered by his strong performance in the first presidential debate. On Wednesday,?Romney stomped out to a 6-point lead over Obama among likely voters.?

But there was some good news for the president in today's poll. Thursday's results show Obama's job approval rating is up by one point, and now stands at the 50 percent threshold believed necessary for an incumbent to be considered "safe" for re-election.

Obama also gained one point among registered voters, closing the two-point gap that Romney opened up with this group in yesterday's poll. Romney stayed static, and now edges out Obama 48 percent to 47 percent.?

Watch below to see each candidate's electoral path to victory.

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Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/gallup-poll-presidential-matchup-october-18-2012-10

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