Daily Kos Elections Polling Wrap: Romney 'bounce' still seems muted, but we're only at midpoint

If one were to take the polls today, on the day after the balloons and confetti dropped on Tampa (they still do that, don't they?), and try to draw conclusions about the political utility of the Republican National Convention, the GOP would probably be pretty pessimistic about the outcome.

However, as I have stressed repeatedly throughout the week, we are, at best, now approaching the point where the polling samples were conducted after a critical mass of the convention coverage took place. With each successive day, the polling impact of the convention will be felt more and more acutely. For now, though, the bounce seems pretty muted, by any objective standard.

Even more troublesome for the GOP: Friday marked the second consecutive day with a raft of downballot polling releases which looked decidedly pessimistic for the Republicans.

On to the numbers:

PRESIDENTIAL GENERAL ELECTION TRIAL HEATS:

NATIONAL (Gallup Tracking): Obama d. Romney (47-46)

NATIONAL (Rasmussen Tracking): Romney d. Obama (45-44)

WEST VIRGINIA (RL Repass and Partners for the Daily Mail): Romney d. Obama (52-38)

DOWNBALLOT POLLING:

CA-10 (PPP for Democracy for America): Rep. Jeff Denham (R) 48, Jose Hernandez (D) 41

MI-SEN (EPIC-MRA): Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D) 51, Pete Hoekstra (R) 44

MN-08 (Global Strategy Group for the DCCC): Rick Nolan (D) 45, Rep. Chip Cravaack (R) 44

MN-08 (GBA Strategies for the House Majority PAC): Rick Nolan 47, Rep. Chip Cravaack (R) 44

NY-24 (Grove Insight for the DCCC): Dan Maffei (D) 48, Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle (R) 42

WV-GOV (RL Repass and Partners for the Daily Mail): Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin (D) 56, Bill Maloney (R) 35

WV-SEN (RL Repass and  Partners for the Daily Mail): Sen. Joe Manchin (D) 66, John Raese (R) 27

A few thoughts, as always await you just past the jump ...