Senator Pat Toomey has a solid lead in his race for re-election in 2016.
In a Quinnipiac match-up between his only declared Democratic opponent, Senator Toomey holds a 48% to 35% advantage over former Congressman and 2010 Senate nominee Joe Sestak.
Sen. Toomey leads among nearly all groups including: Republicans (84/7); Men (54/31); Independents (45/31); and Women (42/39).
Former Rep. Sestak only leads among Democrats (72/12).
The silver lining for Sestak is that the Senator is still below the all-important 50% marker for incumbents. Still, of the seven times Quinnipiac has tested this match-up since 2010, these are the worst numbers the retired Admiral has ever had.
The survey found 49% approve of the Sen. Toomey’s job performance while 24% disapproved.
In comparison, his colleague Sen. Bob Casey has a similar 46/26 approval/disapproval split.
Furthermore, 44% of respondents have a favorable opinion of Toomey compared to 23% who have an unfavorable opinion. Those approval and favorability ratings are the highest numbers the Senator has received in a Quinnipiac poll going back to 2009.
Meanwhile, 24% of PA voters have a favorable opinion of Sestak against 14% who have an unfavorable opinion. A whopping 61% say they “haven’t heard enough” about him, which gives the Democrat some room to grow.
The fact that his awareness is so low, though, and that Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski is signaling he is going to enter the Democratic primary must worry the Sestak campaign.
“It’s an uphill fight for Joe Sestak who has to chip away at U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey’s approval numbers while trying to win over Pennsylvanians who just don’t know enough about him,” said Tim Malloy, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll.
This Quinnipiac survey was conducted from March 17th to March 28th. 1,036 Pennsylvania registered voters were interviewed live through land lines and cell phones. The margin of error is plus or minus 3%.
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8 Responses
Not complicated: Sestak is Ron Klink in 2000, the only Dem who can lose.
Bob-
I’m pretty sure that running the candy desk is about the only thing Rachael Maddow and MSNBC think Toomey should be handling in the senate.
Every time Sestak goes on the Ed Show, I’m surprised that Ed doesn’t give him a hand-job on camera.
The Comcast/Universal/NBC/MSNBC is not going to Joe Sestak. In fact…
Toomey’s candy drawer gets some love from Rachel Maddow Show
http://www.metro.us/philadelphia/toomey-s-candy-drawer-gets-some-love-from-rachel-maddow-show/zsJocE—oJmJJm9JJSc6
There was a poll that came out last week (F&M?) that showed Sestak within 5 points of Toomey. Sestak sent emails about how the gap had closed to 5 during his walk (as if that had anything do with it).
This poll has it at 13, well into the walk.
Have they tried polling Toomey against “UnNamed Democrat”?
Joe’s problem with: “trying to win over Pennsylvanians who just don’t know enough about him” is that the more people see/hear him, the worse he does.
With presidential turnout, and Dem registration advantage, nearly any decently funded Democrat can win. So, we need a better Democrat than Sestak. I suggest grabbing a cat by its tail and swinging it until a Democrat is hit.
Montco PA Dem-
Sestak is the answer, but to the question: What Virginia resident should the Dems reject as their Senate nominee
I’ve heard plenty of knocks against Mary Isenhower and TJ Rooney. But, they were behind Wolf from the beginning. So, now they are in the winner’s circle.
Oh, we’re listening to T.J. “Arlen Specter is my kind of Democrat” Rooney again, are we? Geez, why not throw in Mary Isenhower, too — Rooney’s lapdog who sent out a lying anti-Sestak email on the eve of the 2010 primary. Not saying Sestak is the answer (and yes, this poll is about 12 months premature), but I sure as hell never want to hear Rooney (or Isenhower) tell me who’s a viable candidate. That’ll chase me into Sestak’s camp faster than anything Sestak himself could do.
If Sestak hadn’t alienated all those millions of Proclaimers fans, he’d probably be winning right now.
“In my estimation, if Joe Sestak is the nominee in 2016 for U.S. Senate, we will once again lose to Pat Toomey.”
-T.J. Rooney, who was state Democratic Party chairman when Sestak ran in 2010
Crap poll with crap results. It has an electorate that in no way resembles 2016.
Also, it is WAAAY too soon for ANY polling IMHO