Let the Polling Begin
And so we start 2013 with a poll about 2014 -- because that's become the way of the political world.
Let the Polling Begin
John Baer, Daily News Political Columnist
Just because it's only the first full week of 2013 doesn't mean we can't start looking at polls about 2014.
That is, after all, the way of today's political world.
And so Raleigh, North Carolina-based Public Policy Polling reports Gov. Corbett owns a pretty dismal 38% approval rating which, says PPP's Tom Jensen, makes him "one of the most vulnerable" Guvs in America.
This, despite a majority (52% of polled registered state voters) support Corbett's lawsuit against the NCAA.
Still, when run head-to-head against a stable full of Democrats (excluding Sen. Casey), the only one he trails is Ed Rendell -- who cannot run because of a state constitutional ban against serving three terms.
It no doubt cheers other Dems (including newly-elected, yet-to-be-installed state Atty. Gen. Kathleen Kane, who's tied with Corbett in the poll) that these head-to-head match-ups show a close contest.
You can read the full poll here.
But the poll's real message is that even with approval numbers that suggest certain defeat, Corbett still beats Mayor Nutter, Allyson Schwartz, Joe Sestak, John Hanger, Tom Wolf and Rob McCord if the election were held today.
And, yeah, each of these Dems are what can be called "well positioned" to challenge Corbett, but only former Rendell cabinet member Hanger is an announced candidate, and he and all others are bunched together in polling numbers because none has a sustained statewide ID and because THERE IS NO RACE YET!
So it appears polled voters are torn between (a) ANY Democrat can beat Corbett and (b) no Democrat (other than one who can't run and, maybe, one who wasn't polled) can beat Corbett.
Guess we'll have to wait for more, you know, polling.
I thought newspaper writers were supposed to have their finger on the pulse of their readers. No one cares about the 2014 election. People have enough on their plate with all the failed liberals policies that now control our lives. How about talking about the real issues of the day?— Phillies2008WSChamps
"No one cares about the 2014 election."
Speak for yourself. Most Pennsylvanians can't wait to get rid of the horse's behind in the Governor's mansion. We're also looking forward to chipping away at the GOP-controlled legislature in this state.— wokmaster- People want to go back to all the wonderful susscess of the Republican administrations (federal, state and local) of the past. It's absolulte torture not having the GOP control or lives. Just look at all our wonderful governor has done for this state. Way too numerous to even begin to mention here.— GOPee_er
- Oh yes, I want Fast Eddie back in office...let's change the PA Constitution to allow for it. In all honesty, I tend to vote third party, but maybe will vote for a major party candidate if they are not from Philly, Pittsburgh, or Scranton...the main corruption points in Pennsylvania. Many folks from outside of these areas think of people from these parts as being so crooked that they have to be screwed into the ground when they die.— FletcherT
John is the author of the book "On The Front Lines of Pennsylvania Politics: Twenty-Five Years of Keystone Reporting" (The History Press, 2012). Reach John at baerj@phillynews.com.
