he pays less, you pay more. a new pew poll shows president obama leading mitt romney nationally by a wide margin. among registered voters, the president leads mitt romney by ten points, 51% to 41%. among registered voters in a dozen battleground states, president obama leads mitt romney by 4 points, 48% to 44%. on favorability nationally, the president leads mitt romney by a spread of 20 points. 50% view president obama favorably. 45% view him unfavorably. 37% view mitt romney favorably. 52% view him unfavorably. the only presidential candidates to be viewed negatively heading into the election in this poll were george h.w. bush in october 1992 and bob dole in october 1996.