Among independents, 49% chose neither, and Democrats and Republicans split evenly at 25% each.
"It's offset by his strength among younger voters, among independents, among well-educated people, " he said.
The June 24 Gallup poll found Mr. Romney up by one among independents, 43% to 42%.
If Obama's the alternative, McCain's support among independents drops from 52 percent to 36 percent.
Obama, with his base solidly on his side, is making policy with broad support among independents.
And, while he is losing support among independents, he is gaining a foothold among higher income voters.
Those percentages among independents are 52% choosing Obama in 2008 and 39% now saying he deserves another term.
He leads by three points among independents, but on the eve of his convention he led by 12.
He beat Mr McCain among independents (Mr McCain's supposed power-base) by eight points.
Gore has a strong lead over Bradley among the state's Democrats, but the two are running nose-to-nose among independents.
In Michigan, Mr McCain improved his standing among independents compared with South Carolina.
At any rate, negative views of Mr Romney have been on the increase for several months now among independents.
This included 76%-9% among Democrats, 47%-24% among independents, but only 15%-61% among Republicans.
Moreover Romney is well ahead among independents, which Obama carried four years before.
Among independents, the percentage in agreement rises to 66%, while 26% are opposed.
Exit polls showed that unlike other parts of the nation where Republicans won among independents, Buck trailed by two points.
McCain held an 11-point lead among independents, 45 to 34 percent, while Clinton edged him among women, 45 to 43 percent.
Among independents, 57 percent said Obama did the best job, with 31 percent backing McCain as the winner of the debate.
He readily acknowledges his position on Iraq cost him support among Independents and his position on immigration cost him with Republicans.
If accurate, this would be real trouble for Mr. Obama, since Mr. Romney has consistently led among independents in most October surveys.
"We haven't seen that big a vote for one party among independents since exit polling began about 30 years ago, " said Schneider.
Mr. Romney's largely negative campaign was able to demolish Mr. Gingrich, but it is also hurting his own favorability, especially among independents.
Among independents, just 12% see Obama as strong and 68% as weak.
"Warren just needs to keep it close among independents, " Mr. Paleologos says.
WSJ: Eric Convey: Elizabeth Warren��Liberal Sweetheart, Massachusetts Underdog?
Aside from the weak spirit among independents, the President should also be concerned about lukewarm optimism among those in the middle income groups.
Obama overwhelmingly held a lead among independents and first-time voters, although the number of first-time primary goers was up only slightly from 2004.
The strongest trend in our politics is contempt for both parties that is greatest among independents, but also includes voters affiliated with both parties.
Partisans naturally see the other party as culprit, but among independents, 43% blame both parties and the rest split closely in faulting either Democrats or Republicans.
His job approval may only be 7 percent among Democrats and 31 percent among independents, but the latest Gallup poll puts it at 79 percent among Republicans.
But in New York, the trend is accelerating among independents.
WSJ: No More Perks: Coffee Shops Pull the Plug on Laptop Users
应用推荐