Reader Poll: Will Pennsylvania’s 2016 Presidential Primary Matter?

Voting-boothFor quite some time now, Pennsylvania has been an important state in presidential elections…well, the general elections at least.

The same hasn’t been true of the primary contests where only one, the 2008 contest between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, was competitive in any way.

So considering that the PA primary is scheduled for April 26th next year, it’s an open question whether our votes will matter.

Clinton is in a much better position eight years later on the Democratic side, but the Republican primary is so unpredictable that pundits are wondering if Pennsylvania will once more have a say in who one or both of the nominees will be.

For the purposes of this question we’ll describe a competitive primary as one where the winner is not obvious beforehand (it doesn’t count if Lindsey Graham is still hanging around for instance).

Will Pennsylvania’s 2016 Presidential Primaries Be Competitive?


  • Yes, but only the Republican contest. (55%)
  • No, neither of them will. (29%)
  • Yes, both of them will. (14%)
  • Yes, but only the Democratic contest. (2%)

Total Voters: 499

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5 Responses

  1. Melissa, that’s a great plan if your goal is to ensure that only candidates who can raise a billion or so dollars can run for President.

  2. Why should voters in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and other early primary states essentially decide who will run. Primaries should happen on the same day in all states so that all voters who are registered Republicans or Democrats have a say on who is on the ticket.

  3. The Dem primary will be over by late April.

    The GOP primary doesn’t matter, because the Republicans have already blown any chance at the White House with their embrace of Trump and all their xenophobic nonsense.

  4. Well, the Dem primary will be long wrapped up by Hillary by the time PA votes, so that won’t matter. The Republican primary never really matters, because almost all of the delegates are unbound, and the at large delegates are only bound on the first ballot.

Email:
  • Will tonight's U.S. Senate debate affect your decision?


    • No. I've already decided on how to cast my vote. (81%)
    • Yes. Anxious to hear from both candidates (19%)

    Total Voters: 27

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