The good folks at PPP have released their head-to-head presidential polland the numbers are a dead heat for President Obama vs. Mitt Romney, while beating everyone else especially Palin:
Obama is tied with Mitt Romney at 45%, the same as last month. Polled for the first time, new heavyweight contender Rick Perry trails by only six points, 49-43. Michele Bachmann has slipped a little, now behind 50-42, versus 48-41 in July. Herman Cain lags, 49-39, up from 48-36 previously. Finally, Sarah Palin, about whom buzz is increasing of late, still does worst of the president’s potential foes, losing 53-40, though that is an improvement on her 53-37 deficit in the last poll. The president leads Romney by nine with independents; Bachmann, Cain, and Perry by 24; and Palin by 29.
But the absolute most important finding in this poll is how absolutely vital the Latino vote is to Obama. In the Obama vs. Perry matchup, Obama pulls 72% of the Latino vote compared to Perry's 26%. In the Obama vs. Romney matchup, Obama pulls 66% of the Latino vote compared to 29% for Romney. Both challengers pull roughly the same number of White and Black voters.
The only thing that pulls Obama even is the Latino vote. At least nationally speaking. Of course, the presidency is a state by state contest. But there should be no question that without a big advantage in Latino voters, Obama has a hard time finding a path to re-election.