Arlen Specter,  Pat Toomey,  Polling

Poll Watch: Pat Toomey Beating Arlen Specter by 14 Points in Pennsylvania GOP Primary Race

March 25, 2009 /
specter feb 27 2009

Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., at podium, is applauded by Gov. Ed Rendell, left, Rep. Allyson Schwartz, D-Pa., Mayor Michael Nutter, University of Pennsylvania President Amy Gutmann, Rep. Chaka Fattah, D-Pa., Rep. Patrick Murphy, D-Pa., Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., and Vice President Joe Biden, during a reception at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Friday, Feb. 27, 2009. The reception was held to honor Specter for his vote for the economic stimulus package

The latest polling is not favorable to incumbent Pennsylvania GOP Senator Arlen Specter.

Sen. Arlen Specter’s decision to come out against the Employee Free Choice Act might have come at just the right time.
 
The Pennsylvania Republican trails former Rep. Pat Toomey by double digits in the first head-to-head poll of their ensuing primary match-up.

The Quinnipiac poll, released Wednesday, shows the embattled Specter behind Toomey, 41-27, even though 73 percent of Republicans say they don’t know enough about the challenger to form an opinion.
 
The poll comes on the heels of Specter’s announcement Tuesday that he would vote against cloture on the union-organizing Employee Free Choice Act, or card-check. Specter’s decision will likely kill the bill for this Congress, as he was a pivotal vote, and should help his standing with some conservatives.
 
The Quinnipiac poll was conducted before Specter’s announcement Tuesday afternoon. It echoes a Susquehanna poll from last month that showed 66 percent of GOP voters want someone new and only 26 percent would vote to keep Specter.

Obviously, Specter is moving RIGHT to shore up GOP primary support. First, it is the Card Check announcement and today Specter will be meeting with Grover Norquist’s weekly conservative meeting. Norquist has supported Specter in the past.

But….. those photos of all of the Democrats back slapping Specter for his vote on the Obama Economic Stimulus Bill (only 1 of 3 GOP Senators to do so) will be coming back to bite Specter in the ass come primary election time.

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