Poll: Former Democratic voters returning to Obama

Voters who supported Barack Obama in 2008 but either did not vote or voted against Democrats in 2010 are poised to give the president their vote in 2012, according to a recently released poll.

The survey (PDF) by the group Third Way, a think tank that supports moderate policies, found that 43 percent of Obama voters who supported Republicans in 2010 ("switchers") and 78 percent of those who didn't vote in 2010 ("droppers") either strongly or moderately approved the president's performance during his first term.

Of the droppers, 73 percent said they would definitely or probably vote for Obama in 2012, while only 34 percent of the switchers said they would vote for him if the election was held today.

A majority -- 53 percent -- of both switchers and droppers saw the economy and jobs as the most important issue in the presidential election next year.

Both groups -- 59 percent of switchers and 74 percent of droppers -- also disagree with Republicans' view that tax increases should be off the table for reducing the debt. In fact, 50 percent of switchers and 65 percent of droppers agree that all or part of the Bush-era tax cuts should expire.

"These people are going to be with the president," Third Way's Matt Bennett told Politico's Ben Smith. "There's very little effort [needed] as far as persuading them."

Read Third Way's memo on winning over persuadable switchers here (PDF).