April polls show Obama-Romney race very close

Polls go up and polls go down. That's a common refrain from politicians, usually from those with sinking numbers. But it could be said today by either President Barack Obama or Republican Mitt Romney in a clearly tightening presidential race — but one with conflicting poll numbers.

Since Rick Santorum abandoned his GOP bid on April 10, nearly all major polls show a close national election match at the outset.

Some give Obama a slight lead, others Romney. A New York Times poll has a dead heat at 46 percent.

Gallup shows Romney ahead, 48 percent to Obama's 44 percent. A Fox News poll gives Romney a 46-44 advantage. But a Pew poll gives Obama the lead, 49 to 45. And a Quinnipiac survey has Obama up 46-42.

An ABC-Washington Post poll shows Obama ahead by 51 to 44 — but it was conducted before Santorum's withdrawal.

That exit made Romney the presumptive nominee.

It's still a long time before the Republican convention in Tampa, Fla., in late August and the Democratic one in Charlotte, N.C. in early September. So voter moods can change.