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A majority of Americans still view President Barack Obama as the favorite to win re-election in the 2012 presidential race. Previous predictions of the outcomes of presidential elections have generally been correct.

U.S. voters name President Obama's speaking skills and concern for people as his greatest strengths, followed by his personality and levelheadedness. Mitt Romney's top strengths are his business experience and economic policies.

U.S. consumers predict their total 2012 Christmas spending to be $770, roughly matching the $764 they estimated in 2011. Gallup modeling suggests this estimate points to a good, though not great, season for retailers.

Twenty-one percent of Americans approve of the job Congress is doing, up from 13% in September and the highest Gallup has measured since May 2011. Still, it remains one of the lowest approval ratings for Congress prior to an election.

Gallup's U.S. Economic Confidence Index declined slightly to -19 for the week ending Oct. 21, from -17 the week prior. An 85-point gap separates the opinions held by Democrats and Republicans.

More than one in three Americans (37%) name the "economy in general" as the most important problem facing the country. Seventy-two percent cite at least one economic issue -- on par with the 69% prior to the 2008 election.

Americans who watched the second presidential debate say Barack Obama did a better job than Mitt Romney, by 51% to 38% -- a stark contrast to the first debate, of which most named Romney the winner.

U.S. satisfaction with the way things are going is 30% in October, matching the three-year high reached last month. Still, this lags behind recent election years when the incumbent won, making Obama's chances unclear.

Fewer 18- to 25-year-old Americans are uninsured in the third quarter of 2012 than in past years, with the 23.4% now lacking coverage down from a high of 28.7% in the third quarter of 2009. But, the percentage of uninsured 26- to 64-year-olds is ...

Americans who feel safe in or satisfied with their communities are in better physical health. They are less likely to experience physical pain, to be obese, and to report having ever been diagnosed with high blood pressure or diabetes.