According to yesterday's Quinnipiac University Polling Institute poll, Hillary Clinton has opened up a 30-point lead over the rest of the Democratic field in Pennsylvania.
Here are the results:
New York Sen. Hillary Clinton has jumped to a 30-point lead over Illinois Sen. Barack Obama among Pennsylvania Democrats, taking 42 percent of the vote, with 13 percent for former Vice President Al Gore, 12 percent for Sen. Obama and 8 percent for former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today.
This compares to a 35 - 19 percent Clinton lead over Obama in an August 8 poll by the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN uh-pe-ack) University.
In this latest survey, Clinton squeaks past former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, the Republican frontrunner 46 - 44 percent. In other possible presidential matchups:
* Clinton beats Arizona Sen. John McCain 47 - 41 percent. She also tops former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson 50 - 36 percent and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney 50 -35 percent;
* Giuliani beats Obama 45 - 40 percent and edges Edwards 45 - 43 percent;
* Obama tops McCain 43 - 40 percent. He also beats Thompson 46 - 34 percent and Romney 46 - 31 percent;
* Edwards bests McCain 46 - 38 percent, Thompson 51 - 32 percent and Romney 53 - 29
percent.
"Sen. Clinton is gaining ground while Sen. Obama is slipping a little. In the past few weeks Mrs. Clinton has appeared more experienced and more presidential while the excitement over the Obama candidacy may be peaking," said Clay F. Richards, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. "Sen. Clinton and fellow New Yorker Rudolph Giuliani have been running neck and neck in the Keystone State for months."
I think it's fair to say Pennsylvania is a swing-state, though it leans Democratic. If the Democrats are going to win the White House in 2008, we need a candidate who can do well there and ensure that the state stays blue.
The poll also surveyed voters' opinions re: favorability / unfavorability, and found these results:
Pennsylvania voters give Giuliani a 52 - 28 percent favorability rating. Favorability ratings for other contenders are:
* 51 - 41 percent for Clinton;
* 48 - 42 percent for Gore;
* 46 - 30 percent for McCain;
* 46 - 23 percent for Obama;
* 51 - 30 percent for Edwards;
* 55 percent haven't heard enough about Thompson to form an opinion;
* For Romney, 50 percent haven't heard enough to form an opinion.
Pennsylvania voters disapprove 67 - 30 percent of the job President George W. Bush is doing, matching his 67 - 29 percent lowest score ever in the state.
FULL DATA:
http://www.quinnipiac.edu/...