Obama Widens Lead in New Hampshire

By Ben Schreckinger

Updated: October 22, 2012 | 6:41 p.m.
October 22, 2012 | 6:25 p.m.

President Barack Obama waves as he boards Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., Monday, Oct. 22, 2012, enroute to Boca Raton, Fla., and the last presidential debate against Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

President Obama has opened up a 9-percentage point lead over Mitt Romney in New Hampshire, 51 percent to 42 percent counting leaners, according to a University of New Hampshire poll released Monday.

The results show Obama partially recovering from his widely panned performance in the Oct. 3 presidential debate; his lead shrank from 15 points to 6 points in the aftermath. The new poll reflects voter opinion following Obama's strong outing in the second debate on Oct. 16.

Among independents, the race is a virtual dead heat, with Obama polling at 39 percent and Romney polling at 37 percent; 7 percent of likely Granite State voters remain undecided.

The poll, conducted Oct. 17-21, surveyed 773 likely voters and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.

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