Poll: Obama now edges Romney in Virginia

President Obama has inched ahead of Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney in the battleground state of Virginia, according to a new Quinnipiac University poll. Obama edges Romney for the first time in this election cycle 47%-43%, according to the poll conducted Feb. 1-6. "The Obama bump could be driven by the perception that the economy is improving," says Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. "And, the nasty GOP primary fight is not helping Romney, exposing swing voters to lots of negative attacks on him from within his own party."
Obama also beats out former House speaker Newt Gingrich 51%–37%, former senator Rick Santorum 49%–41% and Rep. Ron Paul 47%–40%.
Obama won the GOP-leaning Virginia in 2008. It was the first time that the state had gone to a Democratic presidential candidate since Lyndon Johnson beat Barry Goldwater in 1964.
The president is still upside-down on his job approval rating 46%-49% and only 46% of voters say he deserves a second term. Still, it's a considerable improvement from December, when 53% of Virginians said he did not deserve a second term.
In the head-to-head matchup with Romney, Obama has made gains with women and independents in Virginia, while falling slightly further behind with men.
Independent likely voters now favor the president 45%-41%, compared with a 41%-41% split in December. Women now back him 52%-40%, compared with 43%-45% in December. Romney has opened a 47%-43% lead among men. He edged Obama 43%-42% in December polling.