Obama leads Romney by at least seven points: polls

President Obama has gained a strong lead over Mitt Romney, with the latest polls showing a nine and seven point lead, respectively.

A Fox News survey puts the incumbent president ahead of challenger Romney 49 percent to 40 percent, while a poll by CNN and ORC International showed a 52 percent to 45 percent lead.

USA Today quoted Democratic pollster Chris Anderson as saying: "Romney's support among independents has declined. The Obama campaign has — at least in the short-term — succeeded in raising questions about Romney's fitness to govern and in making this less of a referendum and more of a choice election."

CNN reported that 64 percent of Americans think the Republican presidential challenger favors the rich over the middle class. Less than half of the public now believes that the economy will get better under Romney's leadership, according to the results of the CNN/ORC poll.

CNN Polling Director Keating Holland said the president holds a nine point advantage among women voters and a smaller six point edge among men.

The Huffington Post said that the margin between the candidates echoes those of other polls released recently, and suggests that the barrage of tough advertisements against the presumptive Republican nominee, as well as his gaffes during the London Olympics, have taken a toll.