Latest polls show GOP with lead in Pa. races

Back-to-back Quinnipiac University Polls this week show Republicans in Pennsylvania with strong leads in the races for governor and U.S. Senate, bolstered by enthusiastic partisan support and growing strength among independent voters.

A poll of likely voters released yesterday showed former U.S. Rep. Pat Toomey, the Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate, with a seven-point lead, 50-43 percent with 7 percent undecided, over his Democratic opponent, U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak.

A poll Monday showed state Attorney General Tom Corbett, the Republican nominee for governor, holding a 15-point lead, 54-39 percent with 7 percent undecided, over his Democratic opponent, Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato.

Toomey and Corbett were helped by strong showings among independent voters, a key component to electoral success statewide.

Toomey led Sestak among those voters, 54-36 percent.

Corbett led Onorato among independents, 56-29 percent.

The poll offers some awkward timing for the Sestak camp, which brought President Obama to Philadelphia Monday for a high-profile fundraiser. Obama, who unsuccessfully tried to get Sestak to drop a primary election challenge to U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter, told the crowd Monday that the two-term congressman is not part of the "insiders" causing problems in the Capitol.

The poll found that a majority, 52-42 percent, want a senator who opposes Obama's legislative agenda. Forty-six percent said they want the Republicans to regain control of the U.S. Senate while 35 percent said they wanted Democrats to remain in control of the chamber and 16 percent said it doesn't matter.

Voters have very similar feelings about whether they like or dislike Toomey and Sestak, with about one in five voters still having no opinion.

Peter Brown, the Quinnipiac University Poll's assistant director, said Sestak and Onorato are caught up in a national wave of support for Republicans. Sestak, Brown said, fared better in the poll because he defied Obama.

"Sestak took on the party apparatus," Brown said. "Onorato is the choice of the party apparatus."