Specter leads Sestak handily in poll; but there's bad news ...

[gauguin57]

http://articles.lancasteronline.com/local/4/243437

Specter beating Sestak in new poll

Democratic (PA) U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter is handily beating his 2010 primary challenger, U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak, a new statewide poll shows. But there's bad news for the veteran, party-switching lawmaker: Fewer than one in three voters believes he deserves to be re-elected, and his level of support seems to have hit a brick wall.

An incumbent typically is vulnerable if fewer than 40 percent approve of his or her re-election, pollster Jim Lee, president of Susquehanna Polling and Research, told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "When I see a re-elect in the low 30s, that's ... near fatal," he told the newspaper.

Specter, who is seeking his sixth term in the U.S. Senate, leads Sestak 44 percent to 16 percent, the poll of 700 registered voters found. Still, 22 percent are undecided and an additional 18 percent said they would vote for neither or someone else.

In a hypothetical match-up for the 2010 general election, Specter is nearly tied with Republican former U.S. Rep. Pat Toomey. Specter gets 42 percent to Toomey's 41 percent.

[tekisui]

1. Specter leading Sestak handily in poll is the bad news.

[AlinPA]

6. That really is the bad news.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

2. So in other words he's holding his seat for the GOP to take.

It would have been better if he never jumped because then Sestak or any other dem could have beat in in 2010.

The conservatives never liked Specter but they couldn't replace him as long as he was theirs. Now he's ours and they may get Toomey whom they adore.

For the short-term gain of 60 seats--which has yet to show a pay-off--we risk a long term loss of a seat to a neo-Reaganite.

Am I missing something here?

[kenfrequed]

3. Someone

Has to pound this into the heads of the Democratic party in his state.

[BolivarianHero]

4. If people smart enough to vote for Obama are stupid to vote for Looney Toomey...

I smell some serious problems with their state of mind,.

[T Wolf]

7. I would never vote for ANY puke, but Cancer Boy is still a thug and will NOT get my vote - EVER!

An article today in the Philly commuter paper stated that Sestak actually beats Toomey by more than Specter would.

The problem is how to get past Magic Bullet Boy.

[AllentownJake]

5. We may lose this seat

It is a non-presidential year election and we have just completed a cycle of 8 year democratic control of the Governor's mansion. Democrats are taking most of the heat for the budget crisis.

Unemployment is still at 9% or above, it maybe lights out.