Obama surges in key battleground states

By Michael J.W. Stickings

Fantastic news this morning. Quinnipiac conducted pre- and post-debate polls in three key swing states -- Florida, Ohio, and Pennsylvania -- and found this:

• Florida: Obama up 49 - 43 percent pre-debate and 51 - 43 percent post-debate;
• Ohio: Obama up 49 - 42 percent pre-debate and 50 - 42 percent post-debate;
• Pennsylvania: Obama ahead 49 - 43 percent pre-debate and 54 - 39 percent post-debate.

The reason: "Gov. Sarah Palin's sagging favorability and more voter confidence in Sen. Barack Obama's ability to handle the economy are propelling the Democrat to wider likely voter leads over Republican John McCain."

More here.

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UPDATE: More here from Pew.

This "significant lead... in the days following the first presidential debate" has to do with Obama's improving leadership image, more public confidence in Obama than in McCain with respect to the financial crisis, and "increasingly negative" opinions about Palin. In addition, "[i]n the past few weeks, Obama has made significant gains among Democrats, including white Democrats," as well as among "older baby-boomers, affluent voters and those in the battleground states."