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Poll: Americans want to see Romney’s tax returns

Posted at 4:32 PM, Jul 19, 2012
and last updated 2012-07-19 16:32:05-04

(CNN) – A majority of Americans say presumptive GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney should release income tax information beyond the two years he’s already disclosed.

The USA Today/Gallup survey showed 54% of those surveyed felt Romney should release tax returns from additional years, compared to 37% who said Romney should not release more returns.

Romney has released his tax return from 2010, and an estimate for his 2011 information. He filed for an extension on submitting his taxes in April, and has vowed to release the full return when the documents are finalized and filed.

Democrats, and some Republicans, have urged Romney to disclose more of his tax information. Democrats say additional returns will clear up questions about offshore accounts and his rate of income tax, while Republicans say it would be politically advantageous to disclose more information. President Barack Obama’s campaign immediately blasted out the poll Thursday as an indication their campaign push is working.

In Thursday’s poll, 30% of self-identified Republicans said Romney should release more of his returns, compared to 75% of Democrats and 53% of Independents who said the same.

The survey also showed respondents were divided on whether or not the tax return information was relevant to the campaign. Forty-seven percent said having more tax return information from Romney would be “largely irrelevant” to making a decision at the voting booth, compared to 44% who said the returns would provide “”legitimate information that helps voters make better decisions.”

The Gallup/USA Today poll was taken by telephone on Wednesday from 539 adults. The sampling error was plus or minus 5 percentage points.