Nearly half of US voters don't want Obama in 2012

The nationwide telephone survey of 2,424 registered voters was conducted by Quinnipiac University, an independent polling institute.

According to the poll, 49 percent of those surveyed said a `no' to Obama in 2012, while 43 percent said he should have a second term.The poll also found Obama in close competition with potential Republican challengers Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee. However, he leads former Alaska governor Sarah Palin, another possible GOP candidate, 48 percent to 40 percent.

Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the polling institute, said staunch Democratic Party members still support Obama, "but his weakness among independent voters at this point makes his 2012 election prospects uncertain".

The report said that roughly 64 percent of Democratic voters do not want anyone to challenge Obama for the party's nomination in 2012.The survey was conducted Nov 8-15, days after the Democratic Party suffered electoral setbacks in mid-term elections.The Democrats lost the control of the Congress to the Republicans and the GOP also made gains in the US Senate.