Poll: Arlen still ahead, but by less

The Democratic primary race for the U.S. Senate has narrowed, while one candidate for governor has opened up a sizable lead, according to a new poll.

U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter has seen his lead over U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak shrivel from 21 percentage points to 8 points in a month, according to a Quinnipiac Poll released yesterday.

Specter leads Sestak 47-39 percent, according to the poll. Specter's lead dropped from 53-32 in a Quinnipiac Poll released April 7.

Specter started airing campaign commercials two weeks ago, attacking Sestak's record as a Navy admiral.

Sestak responded with an ad using military veterans to lambaste Specter for his attack ad.

The poll also shows Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato opening up a significant lead against the three other Democrats running for governor.

Onorato, who has been running TV ads touting the economic turnaround in Allegheny County, had 36 percent while Montgomery County Commissioner Joe Hoeffel had 9 percent. State Auditor General Jack Wagner and state Sen. Anthony Hardy Williams were tied at 8 percent.

The poll also found 37 percent of likely Democratic voters were undecided and 60 percent said they could change their minds.

Williams, who had been airing commercials about his political record, went negative Monday with an ad disputing the economic health of Allegheny County.

Hoeffel, who has struggled to keep up with Onorato and Williams in fundraising to pay for television commercials, unveiled an ad yesterday accusing them both of flip-flopping on issues.

Onorato, who opposes abortion, says he would not change the state's law that allows the procedure. Williams, an advocate for public-school reform, favors using tax dollars to pay private-school tuition as one remedy.

"I think it's unsettled," Hoeffel said of the race. "This ad's going to make a difference."

Williams is running his anti-Onorato ad in Pittsburgh and other media markets in the state. Hoeffel intends to start running his ad in Philadelphia today but it is unclear if he will have the money to spread it to a larger audience.

Onorato spokesman Brian Herman accused Williams of running a "dishonest attack" that shows a need for change in Harrisburg.

"Williams is desperate, badly trailing in the polls and lacks any convincing argument for why he should be governor," he added.

Williams spokesman Mark Nevins noted that Onorato was an early entry in the race. Williams did not enter until late January.

"The fact is that 37 percent of voters are still undecided and those that have decided are open to changing their minds is proof that this is still a wide open race," Nevins said.

The poll, which has a margin of error of +/- 3.2 percentage points, was done from April 28-May 2 of 930 Pennsylvania likely Democratic-primary voters whose names were taken from registered-voter lists, Quinnipiac said.