Zogby: Romney Leads Among Middle Class Voters

Mitt Romney is leading President Barack Obama among middle income voters, according to a study of JZ Analytics survey results since January.

The former Massachusetts governor leads Obama by 6 points – 42 percent to 36 percent – among voters making $50,000 to $75,000 a year. This group is a larger part of the JZ Analytics sample, 21 percent, and is the group that regularly provides the winner in presidential elections dating back to 1972, Zogby said.

“An incumbent presently winning only 36 percent of the voters in the $50,000 to $75,000 income range spells potential trouble for him,” Zogby said.

Voters among this group have been hardest hit by the loss of manufacturing jobs throughout the country, Zogby said.

Based on the aggregated numbers, Romney is outperforming Arizona Sen. John McCain’s totals in 2008 among this voter group, Zogby said. McCain won this income group by just 1 point, 49 percent to 48 percent.

Romney also leads the president by 3 percentage points – 47 percent to 44 percent – among likely voters earning $100,000 a year or more. This highest income category represents about 13 percent of all likely voters and is critical to a Romney victory, according to pollster John Zogby.

The results were based on an analysis of a total sample of 5,300 likely voters surveyed online and by telephone since January.