Posted on 05/04/2006 1:14:30 PM PDT by Crackingham
Gov. Ed Rendell has gained ground on Republican challenger Lynn Swann, according to a poll released Thursday, three months after the same researcher found the football legend nipping at the governor's heels. The statewide poll also found Democrat Bob Casey's lead over incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum (news, bio, voting record) had shrunk from double digits in February to 6 percentage points. Rendell led Swann 49 percent to 35 percent in the latest Keystone Poll, conducted by the Center for Opinion Research at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster. The telephone survey of 578 registered voters had an error margin of plus or minus 4 percentage points.
"I don't think there's any doubt now that the contours of this race have changed," said G. Terry Madonna, the center's director and a professor of public affairs.
The February poll, which showed Rendell leading by 3 percentage points, was conducted amid Swann's successful and heavily publicized push to clinch the Republican Party's endorsement.
In recent weeks, Rendell has launched a TV advertising campaign touting his accomplishments. His favorability rating in the latest poll, conducted April 27 to Monday, was 48 percent, its highest since March 2005.
"People are beginning to recognize all that he's done and all that he continues to do," said Rendell campaign spokesman Dan Fee.
About 29 percent of the respondents viewed Swann favorably, while more than half had not formed an opinion about him, according to the poll. Swann, a former Pittsburgh Steeler and television sports commentator, is seeking to become the state's first black governor. He has never held public office.
Wow. If Santorum pulls this off, it will be a comeback comparable to the ones that Swann and co. used to pull off as a Steeler!
Not by a longshot.
Swann is a throwaway who is going to get smoked.
FLAME ON!!
You never know, Gator. Rendell may be faster, but Swann's got great hands.
Swann hasn't begun advertising yet, because he has NO MONEY!! And the repubs aren't going to give him any.
Well, not much anyway.
Man, you're spamming all of the PA Gov threads with your anti-Swann negativity... What's up with that?
Rendell has been advertising lately. A lot. Still, note the magic number: 48% < 50%. If this poll is reliable, Rendell is in big trouble. Incumbents should always run above 50. Ditto with Santorum, but see how he's gaining.
Remember this, Rendell ran 4 years ago on property tax relief. A deal just fell through the assembly today. He had 4 years to enact his signature issue and they denied him the opportunity to run on it. He'll blame the pubbies for sure, but in August, September and October, all people will remember is that the mob boss campaigned on property tax relief and he didn't deliver.
Meanwhile I just drove through what must be the most expensive road in the US (PA turnpike) and given the cost, it should have been a LOT less bumpy than it was. For that matter, it should have been paved in platinum, but I have low expectations.
Terry Madonna's record in these polls hasn't been as good in recent years as when they first started. I'll wait and see what some other polls have to say.
On the bright side, Santorum is a much better pol than Casey. I'm predicting he is going to win in Nov.
I just wonder why the headline wasn't Santorum gaining instead of Swann slipping.
Ah, but I'm a mere layperson.
I'm sure AP drew upon objective principles of professional journalism in determining which story was the lead.
(Bob Casey's lead over incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum (news, bio, voting record) had shrunk from double digits in February to 6 percentage points.)
If we are able to keep Santorum in the Senate, it would be huge in a blue state. The fact is that Democrats are not enthusiastic about Casey since he's pro-life. I hope therefore that the Pubbies get excited that Santorum is close, and show up in force. That in turn might help Swann pull off an upset as well.
And Kerry is president and Bowels is in the senate instead of Dole.
I would hope that Swann as governor would be the answer to our prayers. But both parties are pretty lame in this state. Pubbies are just as goofy and greedy as dems. But Gov. Cheesesteak is a w-o-r-m. Swann's a great guy and appears to be pricipled and conservative. But without solid support from his party in the legislature, he won't get far.
"Dan Fee" Good name for a Democrat.
The only poll that counts is the one they take on election day.
So do I. "Fast Eddie" has been saturating the Pittsburgh television area with ads telling us how great he is. If he's starting now, he has to be at least somewhat concerned. My "left wing" brother in-law keeps asking me why I say that he's corrupt. I tell him that he was Mayor of Philadelphia. Was there ever one that wasn't?
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