Romney's 52-point win is the largest Gallup has measured. Gallup: Mitt debate win biggest ever

Almost three-quarters of Americans who watched the debate believe Mitt Romney won, a record high in Gallup’s polling, driving the GOP nominee into a tie with President Barack Obama.

Only 20 percent of Americans who watched think Obama won, compared to 72 percent for Romney. Among independents, 71 percent believe Romney won. A near-majority of Democrats who saw the faceoff — 49 percent — also said that the Republican nominee bested Obama.


( PHOTOS: Scenes from the Denver debate)

Romney’s 52-point win is the largest Gallup has measured, the polling firm said. The prior largest margin was 42 points for Bill Clinton over George H.W. Bush in their 1992 town hall debate.

In the three days prior to the debate, Obama held a 5-point edge, 50 percent to 45 percent, in Gallup’s daily tracking polls. In the three days after, Romney and Obama pulled into a tie, each drawing 47 percent.

The survey was conducted October 4 through October 6, and polled 1,387 registered voters. The margin of error is plus or minus three percent.