Enthusiasm For Romney Down As Convention Begins

YouGov
August 29, 2012, 2:00 PM GMT+0

(Week of 8/25/2012) The rise in enthusiasm and positive support for the Republican ticket that appeared in the Economist/YouGov Poll after the naming of Wisconsin Representative Paul Ryan as Mitt Romney’s vice presidential choice has pretty much disappeared this week — but the Republican National Convention may restore some of it.

Last week, more than half of those now saying they plan to vote for former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney this fall claimed they were "extremely enthusiastic" about casting their ballot, a rise from before the vice presidential announcement. But now, enthusiasm among Romney voters has reverted to pre-Ryan levels.

Romney voters are still more enthusiastic than those supporting President Barack Obama. Just 35% of Obama supporters say they are extremely enthusiastic about casting a ballot.

GOP voters are also back to pre-Ryan levels when it comes to expressing the reason for their vote. Only 37% of them think of their vote as one for Mitt Romney; nearly two in three say they are mainly voting against Barack Obama.