Gallup: Romney tops Obama with veterans

Source: USA TODAY

As the presidential candidates honor Memorial Day, a new Gallup Poll gives Mitt Romney a big election edge over President Obama among veterans.

Romney leads Obama 58%-34% among veterans, who make up about 13% of the electorate, Gallup reports.

Among non-veterans, Obama leads Romney by four points.

“Obama and Romney are tied overall at 46% apiece among all registered voters in this sample,” Gallup reports. “Men give Romney an eight-point edge, while women opt for Obama over Romney by seven points.

“It turns out that the male skew for Romney is driven almost entirely by veterans,” says Gallup.

Obama gives Memorial Day remarks today at both Arlington National Cemetery and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.

Romney appears at a Memorial Day event in San Diego with 2008 Republican nominee — and Vietnam veteran — John McCain.

Four years ago, McCain beat Obama among veterans by 54%-44%.

During his term in office, Obama has sought to wind down wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and proposed a number of programs aimed at veterans.

“We have to serve them and their families as well as they have served us,” Obama said in his weekend radio address. “By making sure that they get the healthcare and benefits they need; by caring for our wounded warriors and supporting our military families; and by giving veterans the chance to go to college, find a good job, and enjoy the freedom that they risked everything to protect.”

Romney has said that veterans and other Americans are facing a bad economy brought on by Obama’s policies.

“Memorial Day is a day to give thanks to them, and to remember all of America’s soldiers who have laid down their lives to defend our country,” Romney said in a statement. “As we enjoy our barbecues with friends and families and loved ones, let’s keep them in our thoughts and in our prayers.”

Gallup’s bottom line on the political race for veterans’ votes:

Veterans in the U.S. today are mostly male and two-thirds are aged 50 or

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Posted by RobertButler on May 28 2012. Filed under 2012 Presidential Campaign. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry