BY WESLEY P. HESTER

A poll of 12 swing states shows President Barack Obama narrowly leading GOP nominee Mitt Romney among likely voters in Virginia.

The poll conducted by Purple Strategies, a bipartisan group, shows Obama leading Romney 46 percent to 44 percent in Virginia, and 47-45 overall among the 12 states surveyed. The two-point advantage in Virginia is within the poll’s 4 percentage point margin of error.

Romney leads by 10 points among likely male voters in Virginia, but trails by 12 among females. The poll shows Romney with a six-point lead among self-identified independents in the state, with 16 percent still undecided.

Forty five percent of voters approve of the job Obama is doing, while 50 percent disapprove. Romney, meanwhile, is seen favorable by 41 percent of likely Virginia voters, and unfavorably by 49 percent.

The poll was conducted July 9-13 and included 600 likely voters from Virginia.