Purple Poll: Obama gains momentum in swing states

From the latest Purple Poll numbers out today, President Obama gets his biggest swing-state lead so far this cycle -- as well as a lead among independents:

In our last poll, conducted in August immediately following the Paul Ryan announcement, Romney had a narrow 1-point lead over Obama in the race (47% to 46%). Today, Obama holds a 5-point lead across the 12 Purple States (49% to 44%), which is the largest lead either candidate has held since the PurplePoll began one year ago. ... ...While it is difficult to tease out the direct effects of each of these individual events, one important change is clear: President Obama now leads among independents across Purple states. Today, he holds a 5-point margin (48% to 43%). This is the first time he has held a lead among independents across Purple States in 7 months.

The poll shows a mixed picture in individual swing-state numbers: Obama leads in Colorado (by 3), North Carolina (by 2), Ohio (by 4) and Virginia (by 3), while Romney leads in Arizona (by 3) and Florida (by 1). Those numbers are fairly consistent with the trends we've seen in other polls lately -- Obama is picking up several-point leads in states like Ohio and Virginia, while Florida remains close. It's also one of the first times recently that we've seen a lead for Obama in North Carolina, which has generally run very close or given Romney a slight lead.

In the poll, Purple Strategies also looks below the top line numbers at candidate traits like "can handle a crisis" and having the "temperament" to be president, finding Obama ahead on those metrics after the unrest in the Middle East and north Africa: