Poll: Romney up 3 in Ohio, best showing since June

Mitt Romney has opened a 3-point lead in the pivotal swing state of Ohio, according to a new poll released Wednesday — the Republican nominee's best showing since June.

The Republican ticket garnered support of 47 percent of those surveyed, versus 43 percent for Democrats, according to a poll released by Gravis Marketing. President Obama has led consistently in the polls since June, although that lead has been usually within the margin of error.

Meanwhile, 10 percent of voters remain unsure in the pivotal contest, or say they would back a third-party candidate.

Ohio's 18 electoral votes are considered pivotal to both campaigns; no Republican has ever won the White House without winning Ohio.

As in other states, a significant gender gap is apparent in the Ohio electorate. Obama leads Mitt Romney 46 to 43 percent among women, while Romney leads 50 to 41 percent among men.

The Democrats are the favored choice of the 18- to 29-year-old demographic but trail substantially among voters 30-49 percent. Those over 50 favor the Republican ticket by a single percentage point.

The poll also found the slimmest of leads for Republican U.S. Senate candidate Josh Mandel, who holds a lead of just fractions of 1 percent over incumbent Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio). The virtual tie matches Brown's best showing in polls to date; Mandel has never led by more than a percentage point in a public head-to-head poll.

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