Last Marquette Law School poll shows Obama over Romney 51%-43%

MILWAUKEE -- The last Marquette University Law School poll prior to the presidential election was released on Wednesday, October 31st and President Barack Obama reclaimed the lead among likely voters in the latest poll with a 51% to 43% advantage over challenger Mitt Romney.

The poll of 1,243 likely voters also measured how voters feel about the race for the open U.S. Senate seat. Democrat Tammy Baldwin leads Republican Tommy Thompson 47% to 43% in the latest poll. Baldwin's numbers have seen a small increase while Thompson's number has seen a small decrease in support from likely voters.

A Marquette University Law School poll from two weeks ago showed the presidential and senatorial races in a dead heat.

Voters haven't changed their mind on how rate the leadership capabilities of both presidential candidates. Romney stayed strong among likely voters with 55% saying he's a strong leader, and 38% say not strong. President Obama's numbers are holding with 56% of likely voters saying he's a strong leader, and 42% saying he's not a strong leader.

Poll director Charles Franklin says independents are making up their minds, but there is still five percent who say they are undecided.

"The partisans and the folks who have strong issue positions are very unlikely to change at this point, but the people who are much more ambivalent about which direction the country should go in or who's the better leader -- those folks are still susceptible to some movement in the last week of the campaign," Franklin said.

According to Franklin, voter turnout on Election Day could be key. Likely voters favor Obama, but it gets much closer among the voters who are very likely to vote and follow politics closely.

Franklin says if less interested voters don't show up at the polls, it could benefit Romney.