Poll: Hoeffel losing labor, women to Specter

[Freddie Stubbs]

By Carrie Budoff

Inquirer Staff Writer


U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter, a Republican who has worked since the April primary to attract Democratic voters, leads among traditional Democratic groups such as women and union households in his race against U.S. Rep. Joseph M. Hoeffel, according to a poll by Temple University and The Inquirer.

Specter's appeal across party lines underscores Hoeffel's challenge in unseating the four-term senator, with less than six weeks before Election Day.

In the poll of likely Pennsylvania voters, 50 percent favored Specter, 35 percent favored Hoeffel, and 15 percent were undecided. The poll, with a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points, also showed that about half the voters still do not know enough about Hoeffel to form an opinion of him.

"Not only does Hoeffel have a tough job between now and Election Day letting people know who he is, even more difficult is once he reaches those people, he needs to persuade them that he is the appropriate person to represent them in the Senate," said associate professor Michael G. Hagen, director of Temple's Institute of Public Affairs.

more: http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/local/9768429.htm

[tom_paine]

1. The Hoeffel Campaign is virtually invisible

The rest of us involved in Imperial and Imperial Congressional "elections" have seen neither hide nor hair of them, at least in my small corner of the Imperial Province of Pennsylvania.

Puzzling.

[Mandate My Ass]

2. Slightly heartening news here

Poll finds Bush's ratings have dropped

Fewer Pa. voters said the President deserved to be reelected than in a similar September poll.

By Tom Infield
Inquirer Staff Writer


The first presidential debate took a bite out of President's Bush job-approval rating among voters in Pennsylvania, a new poll shows.

The Keystone Poll, conducted by Franklin & Marshall College over a five-day period starting on the date of the debate, Sept. 30, found that Kerry was favored by 48 percent of respondents and that Bush was favored by 41 percent.

The survey of 594 registered voters also suggested that Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Joseph M. Hoeffel had gained ground in his still-uphill effort to oust four-term Republican Sen. Arlen Specter.

In the presidential race, the poll found that Bush's favorability rating had dropped, while Kerry's had gained.

http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/news/special_packages/election2004/9865792.htm