New PEW Research poll shows Romney with four-point lead

Washington - A new Pew Research Center poll has Republican presidential candidate Romney taking over the lead in the 2012 presidential election. The Republican leads incumbent Barack Obama 49% to 45% according to the PEW survey.

After a debate that saw Romney topping Obama by historic numbers, most national polls released have reflected a strong Romney surge. As recently as last month PEW had Obama up by 8 points, suggesting a 12-point gain by the Republican candidate, according to the PEW poll released late Monday. As in most national polls, PEW showed registered voters overwhelmingly view Romney as having won the first presidential debate by margin of 66% to 20%. Romney also leads in a Rasmussen poll released Monday Early voting samples in major battleground states show Romney closing the gap in early voting advantage that Obama enjoyed in 2008. Meanwhile, Obama supporters are clinging to hope in a Gallup poll that shows Obama still up by five, however Gallup produced a poll earlier Monday that showed the candidates in a 47% to 47% tie.