March 2010 Franklin & Marshall College Poll
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For immediate release Wednesday, March 24, 2010 March 2010 Franklin & Marshall College Poll SURVEY OF PENNSYLVANIANS SUMMARY OF FINDINGS Prepared by: Center for Opinion Research Floyd Institute for Public Policy Franklin & Marshall College BERWOOD A. YOST DIRECTOR, FLOYD INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC POLICY DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR OPINION RESEARCH HEAD METHODOLOGIST, FRANKLIN & MARSHALL COLLEGE POLL G. TERRY MADONNA DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR POLITICS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS DIRECTOR, FRANKLIN & MARSHALL COLLEGE POLL JENNIFER L. HARDING PROJECT MANAGER, CENTER FOR OPINION RESEARCH PROJECT MANAGER, FRANKLIN & MARSHALL COLLEGE POLL KAY K. HUEBNER PROGRAMMER, CENTER FOR OPINION RESEARCH March 23, 2010 Table of Contents METHODOLOGY ..................................................................................................................... 2 KEY FINDINGS ........................................................................................................................ 4 THE RACE FOR PENNSYLVANIA GOVERNOR ...................................................................4 THE RACE FOR U.S. SENATE ...............................................................................................5 PENNSYLVANIA LEGISLATIVE CORRUPTION TRIALS .....................................................6 PENNSYLVANIA TAX PROPOSALS ......................................................................................7 TABLE A-1 ............................................................................................................................... 8 TABLE A-2 ............................................................................................................................... 9 MARGINAL FREQUENCY REPORT .....................................................................................10 Methodology The survey findings presented in this release are based on the results of interviews conducted March 15-21, 2010. The interviews were conducted at the Center for Opinion Research at Franklin & Marshall College under the direction of the poll’s Director Dr. G. Terry Madonna, Head Methodologist Berwood Yost, and Project Manager Jennifer Harding. The data included in this release represent the responses of 1119 adult residents of Pennsylvania, including 964 registered adults (483 Democrats, 353 Republicans, 102 registered as Independent/Other, and 26 who refused to identify party). Telephone numbers for the survey were generated using random digit dialing, and respondents were randomly selected from within each household. Survey results were weighted (age, education, race, region, and gender) using an iterative weighting algorithm. The sample error for this survey is +/- 2.9 percentage points. The sample error for registered adults is +/- 3.2 percentage points and is slightly higher for registered Democrats (+/- 4.5 percentage points) and registered Republicans (+/- 5.2 2 percentage points). In addition to sampling error, this poll is also subject to other sources of non-sampling error. Generally speaking, two sources of error concern researchers most. Non-response bias is created when selected participants either choose not to participate in the survey or are unavailable for interviewing. Response errors are the product of the question and answer process. Surveys that rely on self- reported behaviors and attitudes are susceptible to biases related to the way respondents process and respond to survey questions. The Franklin & Marshall College Poll is produced in conjunction with the Philadelphia Daily News, WGAL-TV (South Central PA), Pittsburgh Tribune Review, WTAE-TV (Pittsburgh), WPVI-TV6/ABC (Philadelphia), Times-Shamrock Newspapers, Harrisburg Patriot-News, and Lancaster Newspapers. It may be used in whole or in part, provided any use is attributed to Franklin & Marshall College. 3 Key Findings The March 2010 Franklin & Marshall College Poll finds that many Pennsylvanians remain undecided about the primary candidates for governor, and Republican Pat Toomey currently enjoys an advantage over both Democratic candidates in the race for U.S. Senate. It also finds Pennsylvanians are paying little attention to the legislative corruption trials, and there is more support than opposition for taxing smokeless tobacco and tolling interstate 80. The Race for Pennsylvania Governor Many Pennsylvanians still have not chosen a candidate in the state’s gubernatorial primaries. The Democratic race for governor in particular remains fluid. On the Republican side, State Attorney General Tom Corbett is favored by one in four respondents, but two in three Republicans are undecided at the moment. This indecision is consistent with February’s poll results. Table 1. Pennsylvania Gubernatorial Primary Preferences If the 2010 Democratic/Republican primary election for GOVERNOR were being held today and the candidates included (rotated) [fill candidates], would you vote for [fill candidates], or aren't you sure how you would vote? Jan 2010 Feb 2010 Mar 2010 Democrats (n = 483) Dan Onorato 10% 6% 11% Jack Wagner 4% 6% 7% Joe Hoeffel 4% 6% 5% Anthony Williams - 1% 4% Other 10% 9% 2% Don’t know 72% 72% 71% Republicans (n = 353) Tom Corbett 23% 26% 28% Sam Rohrer 5% 4% 4% Other 3% 5% 2% Don’t know 69% 65% 66% 4 The Race for U.S. Senate The Democratic primary for U.S. Senate has fewer undecided voters (52%). Arlen Specter is favored (32%) over Joe Sestak (12%). Two in three (64%) Republicans claim to be undecided about their primary vote choice for Senate. Pat Toomey has an advantage over both Specter and Sestak in the general election race for U.S. Senate (see Figure 1). Figure 1. 2010 Pennsylvania U.S. Senate Election Preferences If the 2010 election for U.S. SENATOR were being held today and the candidates included (rotated) Arlen Specter/Joe Sestak, the Democrat, and Pat Toomey, the Republican, would you vote for Arlen Specter/Joe Sestak, Pat Toomey, some other candidate, or aren't you sure how you would vote? Specter Toomey Other Don’t know 29 33 6 32 Mar 2010 Feb 2010 33 29 9 29 Jan 2010 30 30 5 35 Sestak Toomey Other Don’t know 19 27 5 49 Mar 2010 Feb 2010 22 25 6 47 Jan 2010 16 28 5 51 5 The pattern of support for Toomey is mostly consistent regardless of his challenger (see Tables A-1 and A-2). Republicans overwhelmingly favor him against both opponents, while his opponents’ support among Democrats is much weaker. Independents favor Toomey over Specter (32% to 17%) and over Sestak (35% to 5%). A majority of registered Pennsylvanians say they don’t know enough about Pat Toomey (59%) and Joe Sestak (73%) to have an opinion, while Arlen Specter continues to be viewed unfavorably by the state’s electorate. More respondents have an unfavorable (45%) than favorable (30%) opinion of him. Fewer than one in three (30%) registered Pennsylvanians say he is doing an excellent or good job as U.S. senator, and even fewer (28%) believe he has done a good enough job as senator to deserve re-election. Those who feel he doesn’t deserve relection most often mention his party switching (31%) and time in office (24%) as reasons for change. Pennsylvania Legislative Corruption Trials Nearly half (44%) of registered Pennsylvanians have read, seen, or heard something about the legislative corruption trials, but only twelve percent of these respondents (5% of registered Pennsylvanians) are following the trials very closely. Two in three (67%) registered respondents believe most Pennsylvania state legislators use state employees and tax money for political campaign activities. 6 Pennsylvania Tax Proposals Registered Pennsylvanians were asked about five changes to state tax laws that recently have been proposed. More respondents favor than oppose only two of these five proposals – taxing smokeless tobacco and tolling interstate 80 (see Figure 2). Respondents are least supportive of increasing taxes on natural gas extraction and reducing the sales tax while taxing more items. Figure 2. Support for Tax Proposals I am going to describe some proposals regarding state taxes. For each, please tell me if you FAVOR or OPPOSE the proposal. Favor Oppose Don’t know Placing new taxes on the sale of smokeless 64 33 3 tobacco and cigars Collecting tolls on interstate 80 to raise money 49 44 7 for state highway and bridge improvements Changing the state income tax to a progressive tax, meaning the more you make, the higher 44 49 7 your tax rate Increasing taxes on companies that extract and 35 49 16 sell natural gas Reducing the sales tax from 6 percent to 4 percent, but extending it to cover many items 33 54 13 that are not currently taxed 7 Table A-1 If the 2010 election for U.S. SENATOR were being held today and the candidates included (rotated) Arlen Specter, the Democrat, and Pat Toomey, the Republican, would you vote for Arlen Specter, Pat Toomey, some other candidate, or aren't you sure how you would vote? Specter Toomey Other Don’t know Gender* Female 32% 23% 5% 39% Male 25% 43% 7% 25% Age* 18-34 25% 29% 5% 41% 35-54 27% 36% 6% 30% 55 and over 33% 33% 7% 28% Education High school or less 27% 31% 6% 36% Some college 27% 34% 6% 33% College degree 33% 35% 6% 25% Household Income* Less than $35,000 31% 26% 6% 38% $35-75,000 27% 32% 5% 36% Over $75,000 31% 38% 6% 25% Race* Non-white 48% 8% 6% 38% White 25% 37% 6% 31% Marital Status* Not currently married 32% 23% 7% 37% Single, never married 30% 22% 6% 42% Married 27% 40% 5% 27% Religious Affiliation* Other/unaffiliated 43% 17% 6% 34% Protestant 24% 41% 6% 30% Catholic 21% 39% 6% 33% Born Again Christian or Fundamentalist Yes 26% 36% 6% 32% No 31%