PA SEN POLL: Specter in strong position. Beating Sestak 53/29. Beating Toomey 49/42.

[jefferson_dem]

Poll shows Specter in strong position
By Thomas Fitzgerald

INQUIRER STAFF WRITER

U.S Sen. Arlen Specter leads his Democratic primary challenger by 24 percentage points and also has climbed ahead of likely Republican nominee Pat Toomey in a general-election matchup, according to a Quinnipiac University Poll released today.

Specter, seeking a sixth term as a Democrat after 28 years as a Republican senator, leads U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak in his new party's primary 53 percent to 29 percent, the survey finds.

The poll also shows Specter ahead of Toomey 49 to 42 percent, after being essentially tied with the Republican since last summer. In December, for instance, the Quinnipiac Poll found a literal tie between the two men, at 44 percent each.

It is a "good winter politically" for Specter, said Peter W. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. "There remains no evidence that his primary challenger . . . has made much progress."

The primary is May 18.

The poll also found President Obama's approval rating at 49 percent among Pennsylvania voters, as well as profound distrust of government. Fewer than one in five think the federal government or the state government does the right thing all or most of the time.

Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,452 Pennsylvania voters from Feb. 22 through Feb. 28, and the results for that sample are subject to a margin of error of plus-or-minus 2.6 percentage points. The survey included 649 Democrats, with a margin of error of plus-or-minus 3.9 percentage points for that subsample.

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/breaking/85941962.html

[shotten99]

1. Better to have Specter as a DINO than a RINO.

[Inuca]

Specter has been on a pretty good behavior.

[Arkana]

12. He definitely has.

And I refuse to chalk it all up to him being challenged in a primary.

The guy dropped his opposition to Dawn Johnsen, is backing the public option, has voted for pretty much every major piece of legislation put forth by Democrats...I dunno. I think he's just a team player--and I also believe that becoming a Democrat allowed his conscience to grow.

[Cha]

15. That's what the

evidence says.

[burning rain]

18. It's a familiar pattern with Specter.

As a Republican, he used to tack to the right when a primary was approaching and move back to flopping about in the middle once he'd gotten past the general election. He overplayed his hand after the 2004 election by saying he wasn't going to be a rubberstamp for Bush--Republicans reacted by threatening to strip him of his Judiciary Committee chairmanship if he didn't grovel and pledge to get Bush's nominees through, and he did. However, Democrats are too wimpy to threaten anyone with consequences in a similar way, and he's lacking in seniority anyhow, as a newly-minted Dem.

One thing I do respect about Snarlin' Arlen is he's a tough, mean sumbitch, though I'll be voting for Sestak in the primary as he has a lot more decent principle (about Specter's only sturdy principle is "Arlen First"). Toomey's a nightmare, worse than Santorum in some ways--he at least sometimes recalled that he represented a state with strong working class consciousness, and occasionally voted accordingly (when not banging on with ridiculous crap such as that women who worked outside the home were just selfish). Toomey's a doctrinaire economic libertarian and free-trader who's really out of step with statewide Pennsylvania politics--he'd be a more likely candidate in Texas, Arizona, or elsewhere in the Sunbelt. Expect Arlen, fairly protectionist and labor-friendly, as always to run tough and mean on these issues, and to make hay of a statement a while back Toomey made on "Hardball" that his endgame regarding abortion included jailing doctors who performed abortions: pro-choice is one area where Specter's actually been consistent over the years.

[bigdarryl]

3. I bet those stupid tea party people will be heading to PA. to try and disrupt the election

[Lochloosa]

4. I have been surprised by Specter since seeing the light.

[DrToast]

6. A primary challenger will do that

I also think he's legitimately disgusted with how his former party is behaving.

[Cosmocat]

7. He is only going to be worth a shit until midnight May 18 ...

then he is going to start tacking to the right ...

I guess in theory it is better to have Specter as a D than Toomey, who is Rick Santorum nuts ...

[nyc 4 Biden]

5. I'm still pulling for Sestak.

When they asked about the primary did they only allow answers from the 649 dems? if not then most of the Repugs would have chosen specter.

[Teaser]

8. this seems counter to the trend

hmm...

[DrToast]

13. Or maybe the start of a new trend

Maybe people have accepted the frustration with the current government and have moved on to the phase where they actually look at what the other side is offering.

We can only hope.

[jn2375]

9. this labor union family is still voting for Sestak in May

he's a hell of a lot more reliable than Specter.

[jn2375]

10. Toomey is a Club for Growth candidate, really far out there

Democrats here in Pa have been giving him a free ride so far, voters don't really know where he stands on issues yet, he is supported by the tea party, this should get really interesting as the election gets closer. Can't wait for the debates.

[Arkana]

11. Now that's interesting.

I think this is the first one that has Specter beating Toomey, and I gotta say it only enhances the argument for him.

[Vidar]

14. Good for Specter.

[bigdarryl]

16. I'm really surised at Spectors numbers even against the rethug Toomey

this proves being on the Progressive issues gets you those kinds of numbers.

[Mr. Sparkle]

17. Sestak is a good guy, i would hate for us to lose him. n/t