Gallup: Romney Leads Obama Among Middle Income Voters

The latest Gallup Poll shows Mitt Romney leading Barack Obama among middle-income voters. The poll, taken between May 14 and June 3, divided the electorate into three groups: low-income earners, who earned less than  $36,000; middle-income earners, who earned between $36,000 and $89,999; and voters who made more than $90,000 a year. Among middle-income earners, Romney led Obama 49% to 45%. The same 49% to 45% margin appeared when higher-income earners were sampled. In the low-income category, Obama led Romney 53% to 38%.

Taken as a total, the two candidates tied with the general electorate, each candidate receiving 46% of the vote.

The other salient difference between the two candidates, in addition to the income divide, is with regard to race. Among whites, Romney leads in all income groups, even those with lower income. With non-whites, Obama leads in all three categories of income.

In the important area of middle-income independent voters, Romney now has a significant eight-point led, 48% to 40%, which is even larger than his lead over all middle-income earners.

Romney’s lead with middle-income voters is significant because they do vote. Obama’s lead among lower-income voters may be less significant because they are not as reliable a source of votes. By the same token, this poll confirms what Americans have long known: those who are most reliant on the federal government are Obama’s biggest fans; the middle class, Obama’s biggest foes.