Posted on 06/21/2006 11:46:49 AM PDT by ContemptofCourt
Pennsylvania voters give Democratic State Treasurer Robert Casey Jr. a 52 - 34 percent lead over incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum, with 12 percent undecided, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today.
This compares to a 49 - 36 percent Casey lead in a May 11 poll by the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN uh-pe-ack) University.
In this latest survey, Republicans back Sen. Santorum 68 - 20 percent, while Democrats back Casey 80 - 9 percent and independent voters back the Democrat 54 - 30 percent. Men back Casey 51 - 40 percent and women back him 54 - 28 percent. Their mind is made up, 67 percent of voters say.
Republicans who say they are conservative back Santorum 76 - 14 percent while Republicans who say they are liberal or moderate back Santorum 54 - 30 percent.
Among Casey supporters, 44 percent say their vote is mainly against Santorum.
"Sen. Santorum appears to be his own worst enemy in his battle for re-election. More than 40 percent of those who say they will vote for Democrat Bob Casey say they are really voting against Santorum. And less than 40 percent of all voters say Santorum deserves to be reelected," said Clay F. Richards, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.
(Excerpt) Read more at quinnipiac.edu ...
Other polls have shown Satorum down by 9. this polling firm has a celar Dem bias and oversamples same. I remeber one recenet sampling showed 51% of the people polled were Dem's. I don't believe them.
Senator Rick better of something...and fast.
The Casey fellow is the son of former governor or senator Casey? He was a fairly popular pol in PA, was he not?
Santorum has announced that he is going to start his radio/tv campaign in every PA media market on Friday and run until the election.
Casey is still a blank slate at least in the sw part of the state.. I don't think I've heard him or his name other than when its mentioned in a Santorum add.
That's good news! Com'on, Rick!
Bob Casey was a populist democratic Governor, he was also ardently pro-life.. which was why he was banned from the stage at the Democratic National Convention.
Jr. is just riding on daddies name and being a blank slate mostly... by election day things will be decidedly different. Eventually Casey has to say something and when he does he'll put his foot in his mouth.. he already did it on Immigration...
Casey Jr. is not his father.
How much of this is the "punishment vote" against Santorum?
Correct, this does not bode well. When I heard Michael Barone confirm that on Fox News the other night, I was really concerned. This doesn't look good at all.
I've always been skeptical of Quinnipiac polls. They're WAY leftist. I'll never buy into the idea that Santorum is that despised from the electorate - it doesn't fit his personality. He's not polarizing, like Hillary or Curt Weldon.
I think this is just a bunch of garbage to get him to panic, and hopefully screw up. Doesn't sound like he's playing into it - which is good.
Junior's doing more than riding his father's name. He's disgracing it.
Casey Sr. was the last of the real Pro Life democrats. Now, you'd be more likely to find a pro-Israel radical islamist. Protection of the unborn and democratic party values are mutually exclusive. They cannot and do not co-exist.
The fact that Junior's working for the party that banned his father from speaking at the convention speaks volumes about the kind of person Junior really is.
I hope you're right about election day. But I'm not optimistic about a Santorum comeback. Greater Philadelphia determines elections in PA. And Santorum is hated in Philly.
I can't speak for what's going on in Philly, sadly you are right they do determine statewide elections... and the Dems have a huge target on Santorum.. no doubt.
The question though, is in an off year election, will these folks show up at the polls on election day? Questionable.
We'll see where we are in September. Immigration issue is going to have bigger play in Philly than anywhere in the state IMHO... and Casey is on the wrong side of that one
This is no surprise to me. Conservatives, despite bad feelings they may have about Santorum's endorsement of Specter over Toomey, still generally support him.
It's the RINOs who are the problem, as is usually the case with a conservative Republican.
You must not live in PA....
Sadly, I think I might have been polled on this last Thursday. I voted for Santorum.
This election, as with most in Philadelphia will depend on whether the "red" areas of the state can generate enough turnout to compensate for the 200,000 or 300,000 vote majority Casey will have coming out of Philadelphia.
Santorum will win. Take it to the bank.
How much of this is the "punishment vote" against Santorum?
All of it is. I am from Pennsylvania and all you hear is how awful Santorum is. They don't care one way or the other Casey, but just hate Santorum.
I don't see a scenario in which Santorum could win. Casey most definitely lacks charisma and is a blank slate thus far, but Santorum really is hated by both Democrats and RINOs; RINOs probably make up a greater proportion of the PA Republican Party than any other state. I think a second or third tier Dem would beat Santorum this year.
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