Poll : Arlen Specter is Toast

[JohnBrowdie]

specter is the kiss of death.  he was a republican when they lost the congress and the white house, joined the democrat party just as their poll numbers tanked, and announced his support of government run health care just before the public darn near revolted over it.

if you see this man getting on the same airplane you are flying on, get off immediately.

Poll shows Specter staring at 'near fatal' 31 percent re-election figure
HARRISBURG — Only 31 percent of Pennsylvania voters believe Democratic Sen. Arlen Specter should be re-elected, and 59 percent believe it's time to give someone else a chance, a state poll released today shows.

Specter's numbers are "staggering," said pollster Jim Lee, president of Susquehanna Polling and Research. An incumbent typically is vulnerable if fewer than 40 percent approve of his or her re-election, Lee said. The poll of 700 registered voters, conducted Oct. 7-12, has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.7 percentage points.

"When I see a re-elect in the low 30s, that's ... near fatal," Lee said.

A Susquehanna Poll in February found 38 percent of Pennsylvanians believed Specter deserved to be re-elected.

Specter, 79, of Philadelphia holds a 44-16 percent lead over Rep. Joe Sestak, his challenger in the 2010 primary, with 22 percent of voters undecided. Eighteen percent of those polled said they would not vote for either candidate or would vote for someone else.

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[JohnBrowdie]

having said that, specter is +1 against republican toomey and +28 against his dem primary opponent, joe sestak in the latest polls.   

[JohnBrowdie]

the latest rassmussen numbers make a little more sense. 

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Pennsylvania voters shows 45% would vote for Toomey if the election were held today. Forty percent (40%) would vote for Specter, while six percent (6%) prefer a third option. Nine percent (9%) are undecided.

If Sestak wins the Democratic nomination, however, the race is a toss-up: 38% for Sestak and 37% for Toomey. In August, Sestak trailed Specter by 13 points in the race for the nomination.

[JohnBrowdie]

local poll numbers.  this is just the oddest thing ever.  no one thinks that specter should be reelected, but he is up 28 points against his dem primary opponent and 1 point against his likely general election opponent.

Specter Slipping, But Still Winning
Harrisburg, Pa. - Only 31 percent of Pennsylvania voters say Sen. Arlen Specter deserves to be elected to another term, according to a new poll.

The poll, by Harrisburg-based Susquehanna Polling and Research, found 59 percent of voters say it is time to give someone else a chance.

Among Republicans, only 16 percent said Specter deserves reelection compared to 75 percent who want him out of office. Among Democrats, 44 percent would reelect Specter compared to 45 percent who want a new person.

A similar poll conducted in February found only 38 percent of voters would re-elect the state's senior senator, who switched from the Republican party to the Democratic party in April.

In the 2010 Democratic primary, however, Specter holds a 44-16 lead over Cong. Joe Sestak, with 22 percent undecided and 18 percent saying they would vote for neither or someone else.

In the general election, Specter is virtually tied with Republican Pat Toomey, with 42 percent of voters supporting Specter and 41 percent backing Toomey. Twelve percent were undecided and four percent said they would vote for neither or someone else.
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[JohnBrowdie]

more fun with arlen.  now his former party is evil for obstructing health care reform. 

Specter: GOP is 'party of obstructionism'
WASHINGTON, Oct. 18 (UPI) -- Republicans are a "party of obstructionism" on healthcare reform, one time GOP Sen. Arlen Specter, D-Pa., said Sunday.

Specter, who last year bolted the party to join the Democrats, said on "Fox News Sunday" that Republican objections to several aspects of President Barack Obama's healthcare reforms "are wrong."

"On the Republican side, it is, 'no, no, no,' a party of obstructionism," Specter said.
Specter: GOP is 'party of obstructionism'

He cited former Republican U.S. senators including Howard Baker and Bill Frist of Tennessee, and Bob Dole of Kansas, calling them "responsible Republicans ... who say Republicans ought to cooperate."

"Well, they're not cooperating," Specter said.

Specter said a proposed public option to provide a government-run alternative to private health plans is "gaining momentum" despite opposition from Republicans.

"We had a very forceful speech by President Obama yesterday on his Saturday talk show emphasizing the importance of the robust public option to hold down the profits and bonuses, and I'm not going to step back a bit," he said.

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