The fallout over Mitt Romney's infamous "47-percent" comments has become a key factor in the ongoing race for the White House. Both President Barack Obama and his Republican challenger, of course, have been desperately wooing this large — and economically-challenged — middle-class voting bloc.
That's especially true in the swing states — think Ohio, Virginia, Pennsylvania — that are likely to decide this election, and where lots of middle-class Americans live.
But with new polls showing President Barack Obama widening his lead, there was more bad news today on the middle class front for GOP candidate Mitt Romney.
According to a poll by the Washington Post and ABC News, 54 percent of Americans who heard the Romney fundraising comments regarded them in "an unfavorable light."
But the pain for Romney's campaign cuts even deeper.
Here's how the Post's Jon Cohen digs into the numbers:
The Romney campaign is, clearly, nervous about this latest turn.
Here's a new ad put out by the campaign that tries to soften Romney's views on the middle class, and what his economic policies would do to help them:
President Obama, meanwhile, also has a new TV ad.
You may be shocked to learn that it portrays Romney's 47-percent comments a bit differently.