DETROIT - Earlier this month the Arab American News reported that Mitt Romney was leading the polls against Barack Obama in Michigan for the presidential race in November. However a new poll conducted through an automated phone survey by Foster McCollum White & Associates and Baydoun Consulting found that Barack Obama was still leading the polls by a very small margin, making the state, which is usually considered to be a democratic swing, competitive territory for the two candidates.

According to the survery, President Obama leads former Governor Romney with a scant 1.41 point margin, 46.89% to 45.48%. The poll was conducted by contacting random Michigan registered voters who are most likely to vote.  The marginal error of this poll is 2.32% with a confidence level of 95%.

"The data prompts further study by the Obama team and related supporters into the declining support for the President in what was a safe state for him", stated Attorney Tarek Baydoun, founder/President of Baydoun Consulting, Michigan's largest political robodialer. "In a state where a significant plurality of voters consider themselves Democrats, the President must shore up his base now in order to avoid spending an unaffordable amount of resources here in the Fall. Democrats must determine what, if anything, will solidify and energize their sizeable base."

According to the survery, one of the likely reasons that President Obama's support is declining in the state could be contributed to the Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano scandal. When voters were asked if the issue had an impact on their view of the President and other democratic candidates, 37.2% said that it made them view the democratic candidates unfavoribly. 53.45% of Michigan respondents felt that the Ficano scandal would not impact their view of President Barack Obama and other Democratic candidates. 

"With the Presidential race being a statistical tie and Democrats working to gain seats in Congress and the Michigan House of Representatives in very competitive districts, the Ficano issue could be the difference between Democrats gaining seats in the House and Congress or losing more ground in Michigan," stated Eric Foster, chief pollster and President of Foster McCollum White & Associates.