Philadelphia Daily News | 11/10/2005 | Poll shows Ed, Santorum slipping: "Posted on Thu, Nov. 10, 2005
Poll shows Ed, Santorum slipping
By DAVE DAVIES
daviesd@phillynews.com
Pennsylvania's incumbent politicians may soon be hiding under their desks if they read the latest Daily News/CN8 Keystone poll. It shows Gov. Rendell and U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum both losing support among voters.
"We have a full-scale populist revolt under way," said poll director Terry Madonna. "Not everywhere, but in enough pockets of the state to create a historic event - taking down a sitting justice of the state Supreme Court."
Voters Tuesday removed Justice Russell Nigro from office in a usually routine retention election.
The vote was largely driven by the summer legislative pay raise, which generated such fury that lawmakers voted last week to rescind the increase.
The poll showed that six out of seven Pennsylvanians know about the pay hike, and 57 percent are less likely to vote for someone who voted for it.
"Legislators' ratings are below sea level," Madonna said.
It appears voters were at least somewhat mollified by the pay boost repeal, which still must be finalized. Only 32 percent said they are less likely to vote for a legislator who voted for the pay hike but then supported the repeal.
The poll showed Rendell with the lowest favorability rating since he took office. Thirty-nine percent had a favorable view of the governor, while 38 percent held an unfavorable view.
By contrast in spring 2003, Rendell's ratings were 50 percent favorable and 19 percent unfavorable. He runs for re-election next year.
"On the one hand, things generally look better for Democrats next year. On the other, he's stuck in this anti-incumbency mood," Madonna said.
Madonna noted that Rendell has recently made statements questioning the size of the Legislature and lamenting the lack of competition in legislative races.
"Rendell could run in a sense against the Legislature," Madonna said, "in effect becoming a reformer and capturing some of that anti-incumbent sentiment."
Rendell's Republican opponents are pointing out that he signed the pay-raise bill.
The poll found former Lt. Gov. Bill Scranton leading the Republican gubernatorial pack, followed by Lynn Swann with 24 percent, state Sen. Jeff Piccola with 3 percent and Jim Panyard at zero.
The good news for Democrats is that Republican President Bush's popularity also continued to sink, with 54 percent viewing him unfavorably, the worst mark since he took office.
The poll shows Republican Santorum's fortunes also sinking. His job-approval ratings are at a six-year low, and the poll shows him trailing Democratic opponent Bob Casey by 16 points, 51 to 35 percent.
"You may see Santorum try to make Casey the issue, and convince voters he's the least objectionable candidate," Madonna said. "So it's likely Santorum will go negative, and harshly negative."
The poll found Casey leading his announced opponent, Chuck Pennacchio, in the Democratic senatorial primary, 67 to 5 percent, with 28 percent undecided."
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