Poll: Specter's numbers sink with party switch
http://blogs.usatoday.com/onpolitics/20 ... witch.html
Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter's switch to the Democratic Party in April was partly to give the veteran senator an easier path to re-election. But a new poll of Keystone State voters shows that may not be the case.
The Franklin & Marshall College Poll released Thursday morning shows that the Republican Specter had 52% of voters' approval in March, while that number was down to 34% for the Democratic Specter this month -- a drop that pollsters called "startling." Twenty-eight percent of voters say Specter deserves to be re-elected, compared with 40% who said that in March.
In a matchup against possible primary challenger Joe Sestak, Specter beats the Democratic congressman 33%-13% among likely Democratic voters, but nearly half of those voters are undecided, according to the poll. Pollsters surveyed 580 Pennsylvania voters from June 16 to 21.
Of course, poll results vary. Last week, we told you about a Rasmussen Reports poll that showed Specter defeating Sestak 51% to 32% in a Democratic primary and Specter beating likely Republican nominee Pat Toomey 50% to 39% in a general election.
Still, that poll also noted that incumbents such as Specter who poll at 50% or less are generally considered vulnerable.