Raleigh, N.C. – None of the candidates to be the next Governor of Pennsylvania are particularly well known, but with the outgoing Democrat sporting poor approval numbers the likely Republican nominee is favored to return the office to his party.
Tom Corbett has a double digit lead over all four of the leading Democratic candidates. He’s up 43-30 on Jack Wagner, 45-32 on Dan Onorato, 46-31 on Joe Hoeffel, and 45-27 on Anthony Williams.
The race may be a little closer than those numbers indicate. There are far more undecided Democrats than Republicans in all four match ups, a reflection of the fact that Republicans are much more set on a nominee than Democrats are. Corbett is certainly favored but the numbers are likely to tighten once the Democrats have united around their nominee.
A majority of Pennsylvania voters have no opinion about all five of the leading candidates. Corbett is the most well known, but 53% of voters have no opinion of him with 27% viewing him favorably and 20% unfavorably. None of the Democratic candidates have even 30% name recognition. 28% of voters have an opinion about Onorato, 24% do of Wagner, 21% do of Hoeffel, and 14% do of Williams.
Ed Rendell’s approval rating is just 35%, with 51% of voters disapproving of him.
“None of the candidates for Governor are well known but with an unpopular Democrat in office right now Pennsylvania seems ready to vote for a change,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. “But the dynamics of the race could certainly shift once the candidates become better known.”
PPP surveyed 934 Pennsylvania voters from March 29th to April 1st. The survey’s margin of error is +/-3.2%. Other factors, such as refusal to be interviewed and weighting, may introduce additional error that is more difficult to quantify.
Complete results are attached and can be found at www.publicpolicypolling.com.
If you would like an interview regarding this release, please contact Dean Debnam at (888) 621-6988 or 919-880-4888.
Topline results are below. Full results, including crosstabs, can be found here.
Q1 Do you approve or disapprove of Governor Ed
Rendell’s job performance? If you approve,
press 1. If you disapprove, press 2. If you’re
not sure, press 3
Approve …………………………………………………. 35%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 51%
Not Sure…………………………………………………. 14%
Q2 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Tom Corbett? If favorable, press 1. If
unfavorable, press 2. If you’re not sure, press
3.
Favorable……………………………………………….. 27%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 20%
Not Sure…………………………………………………. 53%
Q3 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Joe Hoeffel? If favorable, press 1. If
unfavorable, press 2. If you’re not sure, press
3.
Favorable……………………………………………….. 10%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 11%
Not Sure…………………………………………………. 79%
Q4 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Dan Onorato? If favorable, press 1. If
unfavorable, press 2. If you’re not sure, press
3.
Favorable……………………………………………….. 15%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 13%
Not Sure…………………………………………………. 72%
Q5 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Jack Wagner? If favorable, press 1. If
unfavorable, press 2. If you’re not sure, press
3.
Favorable……………………………………………….. 15%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 10%
Not Sure…………………………………………………. 76%
Q6 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Anthony Williams? If favorable, press 1. If
unfavorable, press 2. If you’re not sure, press
3.
Favorable……………………………………………….. 6%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 7%
Not Sure…………………………………………………. 86%
Q7 If the candidates for Governor this fall were
Republican Tom Corbett and Democrat Joe
Hoeffel, who would you vote for? If Tom
Corbett, press 1. If Joe Hoeffel, press 2. If
you’re undecided, press 3.
Corbett…………………………………………………… 46%
Hoeffel …………………………………………………… 31%
Undecided………………………………………………. 23%
Q8 If the candidates for Governor this fall were
Republican Tom Corbett and Democrat Dan
Onorato, who would you vote for? If Tom
Corbett, press 1. If Dan Onorato, press 2. If
you’re undecided, press 3.
Corbett…………………………………………………… 45%
Onorato………………………………………………….. 32%
Undecided………………………………………………. 23%
Q9 If the candidates for Governor this fall were
Republican Tom Corbett and Democrat Jack
Wagner, who would you vote for? If Tom
Corbett, press 1. If Jack Wagner, press 2. If
you’re undecided, press 3.
Corbett…………………………………………………… 43%
Wagner ………………………………………………….. 30%
Undecided………………………………………………. 27%
Q10 If the candidates for Governor this fall were
Republican Tom Corbett and Democrat
Anthony Williams, who would you vote for? If
Tom Corbett, press 1. If Anthony Williams,
press 2. If you’re undecided, press 3.
Corbett…………………………………………………… 45%
Williams …………………………………………………. 27%
Undecided………………………………………………. 28%
Q11 Who did you vote for President last year? If
John McCain, press 1. If Barack Obama, press
2. If someone else or you don’t remember,
press 3.
McCain…………………………………………………… 48%
Obama…………………………………………………… 49%
Someone Else/Don’t Remember………………… 2%
Q12 Would you describe yourself as a liberal,
moderate, or conservative? If liberal, press 1. If
moderate, press 2. If conservative, press 3.
Liberal ……………………………………………………. 19%
Moderate………………………………………………… 41%
Conservative…………………………………………… 40%
Q13 If you are a woman, press 1, if a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 54%
Man……………………………………………………….. 46%
Q14 If you are a Democrat, press 1. If you are a
Republican, press 2. If you are an independent
or identify with another party, press 3.
Democrat ……………………………………………….. 47%
Republican……………………………………………… 41%
Independent/Other…………………………………… 12%
Q15 If you are white, press one now. If you are
African-American, press two now. If other,
press 3.
White …………………………………………………….. 87%
African-American …………………………………….. 10%
Other……………………………………………………… 3%
Q16 If you are 18 to 29 years old, press 1 now. If
you are 30 to 45, press 2. If you are 46 to 65,
press 3. If older, press 4.
18 to 29………………………………………………….. 10%
30 to 45………………………………………………….. 25%
46 to 65………………………………………………….. 44%
Older than 65………………………………………….. 22%
