In all three states, the economy was the most important issue in determining the vote. Poll: Obama on 'roll' in 3 swing states

President Barack Obama leads potential Republican presidential nominees Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum in the crucial swing states of Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania, a new Quinnipiac poll shows.

No presidential candidate has won the White House since 1960 without winning at least two of the three swing states, and the president currently holds a lead over Santorum and Romney in all three.


In Florida, Obama leads Romney 49 percent to 42 percent, and Santorum 50 percent to 37 percent.

In Ohio, Obama holds a 47 percent to 41 percent lead over Romney, and a 47 percent to 40 percent lead over Santorum.

In Pennsylvania, which Santorum represented as a senator, Obama leads him 48 percent to 41 percent. Romney actually performs better than Santorum in Pennsylvania, trailing Obama by 3 points: 45 percent to 42 percent.

“President Barack Obama is on a roll in the key swing states. If the election were today, he would carry at least two states. And if history repeats itself, that means he would be reelected,” said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

A majority of voters in these states say that the economy is still in recession but also that the economy is beginning to recover.

In Florida, 68 percent believe the United States is in a recession, but 57 percent believe that a recovery is under way. In Ohio, the figures are 68 percent and 58 percent, respectively; in Pennsylvania, 65 percent and 57 percent.

In all three states, the economy was listed as the issue most important in determining their vote, which may explain the president’s leads.

In Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania, the economy was “extremely important” or “very important” in the votes of 90 percent, 91 percent and 88 percent of voters, respectively.

The poll was conducted March 20-26, with 1,228 Florida voters, 1,246 Ohio voters and 1,232 Pennsylvania voters surveyed. The margin of error was plus or minus 2.8 percentage points.