Fresh Gallup poll shows Romney ahead by six points

Washington - The latest Gallup national tracking poll shows presidential candidate Mitt Romney has opened up six point lead over incumbent Barack Obama, well outside the poll's four-point margin of error and Romney’s biggest lead yet.

Gallup’s latest seven-day tracking poll of likely voters shows Romney at 51 percent and Obama at 45 percent, up from 50-46 on Tuesday and 49-47 on Monday. Gallup shows Romney in a steady surge in recent weeks that has intensified over the past week. Romney edges out Obama with registered voters by a 48 to 46 margin. An average of 90% of Democrats, and 8% of Republicans, approve of the job Barack Obama is doing as president so far in October, showing Obama has polarized voters more than recent presidents. The 82-percentage-point gap in approval ratings by party is the largest partisan divide Gallup has measured for a recent incumbent president during October in any recent presidential election. George W. Bush was closest to Obama’s divide with an 80-point party gap in approval however other presidents were less than 70 points. The poll does not represent any potential changes from last Tuesday's debate.