EAGER BEAVERS

Obama Leads Among Early Voters

59 to 31 percent.

Well, they didn’t watch the first debate. President Obama leads Mitt Romney 59 percent to 31 percent, according to a Reuters-Ipsos poll. While opinion polls show the candidates in a tight race, and while the sample size is still small, the large lead is a good sign for Team Obama (in 2008 early voting gave the campaign a much-needed boost). Of those polled, 7 percent said they had already cast a ballot. As Election Day approaches, the candidates would like those who have made up their minds to vote soon, so that the campaigns can focus efforts on undecided voters. Or so that the blitz of ads in the coming weeks don’t change voters’ opinions.