DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Republican officials say it’s too early to count him out, but recent polls suggest the electoral map is getting difficult for Mitt Romney. With Election Day about six weeks off, it appears Romney’s recent miscues are costing him in the states expected to be the most competitive this November. Romney has fallen behind President Barack Obama in polls in Virginia and Ohio, and his ability to close in on Obama in Iowa and Wisconsin is now in doubt.

A Washington Post poll of likely Virginia voters shows President Barack Obama leading by 8 percentage points. In the race for Florida’s 29 electoral votes, polls of likely voters by Fox News and NBC each show Obama leading 49 percent to 44 percent. The Fox News poll shows Obama with a 7-point lead in Ohio.

Still, Republican campaign strategist Chris LaCivita of Virginia says the polls seem to be projecting a larger Democratic turnout than he believes will materialize. He says his data “continues to show an extremely competitive race.” Obama is campaigning in Wisconsin today, while Romney plans to attend fundraisers in California.