Obama takes 7 point lead over Romney: opinion poll

Most Americans think Romney favours the rich, believe economy will not get better if he is elected

With US presidential elections less than three months away, President Barack Obama has taken a 7-point lead over his Republican rival Mitt Romney, a latest opinion poll has said.

Romney's unfavorable rating is now up, according to a CNN /ORC International survey.

Most of the Americans think that Romney favours the rich and it appears that the number of people who believe that the economy will not get better if he is elected has edged up slightly.

At the same time, the polls also reveal that Romney's supporters are increasingly getting behind him in his campaign against Obama.

The latest CNN/ ORC survey said yesterday that over 52% of the registered voters said that they would re-elect Obama for another term, while 45% said Romney was their favorite for the November presidential elections.

"Among independent voters, the poll indicates President Obama has a 53% - 42% lead. The President holds a nine point advantage among women voters and a smaller six point edge among men," said the CNN polling director, Keating Holland.

However there is some good news for Romney, the CNN said.

Four months after he wrapped up the race for the GOP nomination, 56% of Romney voters say they strongly support him, up from 47% in May. Sixty-one % of Obama voters say they strongly support him, the polls said.

According to RealClearPolitics.Com, the average of top 10 polls shows that Obama has a 3% lead over Romney.

Among all these 10 recent polls Obama's lead ranges from 10% point to 2%, while Romney leads in only one of these polls by 1%.

The CNN said while Romney's favorable rating has remained steady (47% now compared to 48% in July), his unfavorable rating has jumped from 42% last month to 48% now.

The president's 56% - 42% favorable - unfavorable rating now is little changed from July, it added.