ROMNEY RUNNING EVEN WITH OBAMA – AT 10:08 A.M. ET:  Scott Rasmussen reports that, as of today, the presidential race is tied up:

In a potential Election 2012 matchups, it’s President Obama 45% and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney 45%. This is the first time that Romney has been even with the president since late December (see tracking history).  Obama receives 84% support from Democrats while Romney picks up 80% of the GOP vote. The Republican frontrunner has a four point advantage among unaffiliated voters.

And...

Matchups for other Republican contenders are updated weekly on a rotating basis. The latest numbers show former Senator Rick Santorum trailing the president by two points, 46% to 44%. Congressman Ron Paul trails by three, 45% to 42%. However, if former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is the Republican nominee, the president holds an eight point lead, 49% to 41%.

COMMENT:  These figures strike me as very tentative and good mostly for entertainment.  The fact that Ron Paul, with his extreme views on foreign policy, is almost even with Romney indicates that many who are polled haven't focused closely on the race.

Frankly, I'd hoped that GOP candidates would be ahead by this point.  The numbers, although tentative, show what a tough fight this is going to be.  Republicans face a well-oiled, Chicago-based political machine, and also face the mainstream media.

February 3, 2012