The new Rasmussen poll of the Pennsylvania Democratic primary gives incumbent Sen. Arlen Specter a big lead over his primary challenger, Rep. Joe Sestak.
The numbers: Specter 53%, Sestak 32%, compared to a 48%-35% Specter lead last month. Specter, who switched from the Republican Party to the Democrats in 2009 after nearly 30 years in the Senate, appears to be in a solid position against skepticism from his state’s Dem voters. One possible cause could be that Specter has been traveling throughout the state with local Democrats ever since he switched, and he held firm with the Dems during the last few months of the health-care debate.
From the pollster’s analysis: “Specter’s support has fallen between 46% and 51% in the earlier polls. So the new finding is his best showing yet, and gives the longtime incumbent senator, who switched parties last year because of a Republican Primary challenge, some breathing room. Incumbents who fall below 50% on a consistent basis are viewed as vulnerable.”
