Obama widens lead to 9 points over Romney, new Ohio poll shows

Obama widens lead to 9 points over Romney, new Ohio poll shows

Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio

A new poll shows President Barack Obama with a nine-point lead over Mitt Romney in swing state Ohio.

The mail poll published today by The (Columbus) Dispatch shows Democrat Obama leading Republican Romney 51 percent to 42 percent.

The poll shows the president ahead among independent voters by three points and attracting slightly more GOP support than Romney is getting from Democrats.

The first Dispatch poll had the two even at 45 percent just before the Republican National Convention in late August.

Experts say as many as 40 percent of Ohio’s voters will cast ballots before Nov. 6. Early voting begins at county boards of elections Tuesday.