Read Story HereFranklin & Marshall College has become one of more relied upon pollsters for all things politics in the state of Pennsylvania. While it’s easy to get the National facts and figures from heavyweight publications like Gallup, Rasmussen, Quinnipiac or the major networks, newspapers and magazines, current and accurate state-by-state analysis in off-election years is difficult to come by.
Polling on a series of topics Franklin & Marshall recently released their June roundup on Pennsylvania. Below are a list of ten of the more important and interesting results, aspects and trends from this latest survey of 580-Pennsylvanians.
1) Results Skewed Towards Democrats
Of the 86% of responders in this poll who said they were registered to vote, Democrats outnumbered Republicans and independents by a 52-36-8% margin. This is an exaggerated total from CNN exit polling following the 2008 Presidential election where Democrats outnumbered Republicans and “others” by a more modest 44-37-18% margin.
2) Direction of Pennsylvania
Residents by a narrow percentage (48-44%) think Pennsylvania is heading in the wrong direction overall. There is slightly more optimism than when the same question was asked in February but the number of those who think the Keystone State is heading on the right track is down from the most recent March poll.
3) Personal Finances
Residents of Pennsylvania are feeling far worse about their personal income than they did a year ago. Although 45% said they are about the same financially as in 2008, by a nearly 4-to-1 ratio people say they are worse off than better off from this time last year. It has been exactly seven years since Pennsylvanians have felt financially better off currently than a year prior (29-20% - June 2002).
4) Finances a Year from Now
In spite of the economic weariness the Franklin & Marshall poll suggests more Pennsylvanians (32%) have a positive than negative financial outlook (21%) looking forward a year from now. It is worth pointing out however that at no time since this poll began in April of 1995 did more responders say they thought they would be financially worse off than they were at the present.
5) Specter Job Performance Ratings
President Obama, Governor Rendell and Senator Arlen Specter have all seen declines in their performance ratings since the last Franklin & Marshall poll in March. Specter’s numbers in particular have declined at an alarming rate since his party-switch. He is now viewed positively by 34% of Pennsylvanians, down eighteen-points from March. His negatives amongst Republicans are staggering and nearly half of Pennsylvania Democrats are undecided who they will support in this year's Senate primary.
6) Confidence in Obama Still High
Barack Obama has seen his approval ratings dip in most areas nationally and in Pennsylvania alike, but confidence in the President is still high amongst Pennsylvanians. 66% say they are either somewhat or very confident the President can handle the country’s economic problems. Only 19% of Pennsylvanians grade Obama’s overall job performance as “poor”, against 55% who say he has been “excellent” or “good”.
7) Negative Views on “Quality of Government”
Pennsylvanians are not impressed by the quality of their overall state government. More say it is “poor” than “excellent” by a 18-3% margin and there is a 48-29% favoring those who say it is “fair” rather than “good”. 29% of Pennsylvanians want increased taxes to help balance their state’s budget deficit, but 44% favor cutting programs and services to achieve efficiency. More than a quarter (27%) of responders remain either “uncertain” or “don’t know”.
8) Music Listening Habits
Pennsylvanian’s list rock (24%) and country (21%) as their two favorite forms of music. The list of response choices included rock, country, classical, R&B, pop, jazz, hip-hop and punk. Taking out of the equation the 20% of responders who favored none of the eight aforementioned forms of music or did not agree with the labels associated with them, rock or country were the majority selection, over 56% listening either as their favorite genre/format.
9) Pennsylvania Pro-Choice, Pro-Bible
Over three-quarters (76%) of Pennsylvanians agree that abortion should be legal in most or all cases. This is fairly consistent with results throughout the decade with a 76-80% range of Pennsylvanians polled each year favoring the legality of abortion. Also consistent are religious views on the teachings of the Bible dating back to 2004 results. 25% think the Bible is the actual word of God, with an additional 56% believing it to be the inspired word of the Lord even is every aspect should not be taken literally.
10) Pa. Similar to National Ideology
The numbers of Pennsylvanians who identify as liberal, conservative and moderate is similar to the number of Americans who view themselves as such. Since this poll began analyzing social/political ideology in 1999 a range of 15-22% of Pennsylvanians have labeled themselves liberal and 29-39% as being conservative. Currently those figures are 19% and 37% respectively. Interestingly the Franklin & Marshall poll suggests a decade low-point for self-identifying moderates with just 34% thinking of themselves as middle of the road. That total is down a highly questionable seven percentage-points from just this February and from a high of 52% in September of 2004.
Polling on a series of topics Franklin & Marshall recently released their June roundup on Pennsylvania. Below are a list of ten of the more important and interesting results, aspects and trends from this latest survey of 580-Pennsylvanians.
1) Results Skewed Towards Democrats
Of the 86% of responders in this poll who said they were registered to vote, Democrats outnumbered Republicans and independents by a 52-36-8% margin. This is an exaggerated total from CNN exit polling following the 2008 Presidential election where Democrats outnumbered Republicans and “others” by a more modest 44-37-18% margin.
2) Direction of Pennsylvania
Residents by a narrow percentage (48-44%) think Pennsylvania is heading in the wrong direction overall. There is slightly more optimism than when the same question was asked in February but the number of those who think the Keystone State is heading on the right track is down from the most recent March poll.
3) Personal Finances
Residents of Pennsylvania are feeling far worse about their personal income than they did a year ago. Although 45% said they are about the same financially as in 2008, by a nearly 4-to-1 ratio people say they are worse off than better off from this time last year. It has been exactly seven years since Pennsylvanians have felt financially better off currently than a year prior (29-20% - June 2002).
4) Finances a Year from Now
In spite of the economic weariness the Franklin & Marshall poll suggests more Pennsylvanians (32%) have a positive than negative financial outlook (21%) looking forward a year from now. It is worth pointing out however that at no time since this poll began in April of 1995 did more responders say they thought they would be financially worse off than they were at the present.
5) Specter Job Performance Ratings
President Obama, Governor Rendell and Senator Arlen Specter have all seen declines in their performance ratings since the last Franklin & Marshall poll in March. Specter’s numbers in particular have declined at an alarming rate since his party-switch. He is now viewed positively by 34% of Pennsylvanians, down eighteen-points from March. His negatives amongst Republicans are staggering and nearly half of Pennsylvania Democrats are undecided who they will support in this year's Senate primary.
6) Confidence in Obama Still High
Barack Obama has seen his approval ratings dip in most areas nationally and in Pennsylvania alike, but confidence in the President is still high amongst Pennsylvanians. 66% say they are either somewhat or very confident the President can handle the country’s economic problems. Only 19% of Pennsylvanians grade Obama’s overall job performance as “poor”, against 55% who say he has been “excellent” or “good”.
7) Negative Views on “Quality of Government”
Pennsylvanians are not impressed by the quality of their overall state government. More say it is “poor” than “excellent” by a 18-3% margin and there is a 48-29% favoring those who say it is “fair” rather than “good”. 29% of Pennsylvanians want increased taxes to help balance their state’s budget deficit, but 44% favor cutting programs and services to achieve efficiency. More than a quarter (27%) of responders remain either “uncertain” or “don’t know”.
8) Music Listening Habits
Pennsylvanian’s list rock (24%) and country (21%) as their two favorite forms of music. The list of response choices included rock, country, classical, R&B, pop, jazz, hip-hop and punk. Taking out of the equation the 20% of responders who favored none of the eight aforementioned forms of music or did not agree with the labels associated with them, rock or country were the majority selection, over 56% listening either as their favorite genre/format.
9) Pennsylvania Pro-Choice, Pro-Bible
Over three-quarters (76%) of Pennsylvanians agree that abortion should be legal in most or all cases. This is fairly consistent with results throughout the decade with a 76-80% range of Pennsylvanians polled each year favoring the legality of abortion. Also consistent are religious views on the teachings of the Bible dating back to 2004 results. 25% think the Bible is the actual word of God, with an additional 56% believing it to be the inspired word of the Lord even is every aspect should not be taken literally.
10) Pa. Similar to National Ideology
The numbers of Pennsylvanians who identify as liberal, conservative and moderate is similar to the number of Americans who view themselves as such. Since this poll began analyzing social/political ideology in 1999 a range of 15-22% of Pennsylvanians have labeled themselves liberal and 29-39% as being conservative. Currently those figures are 19% and 37% respectively. Interestingly the Franklin & Marshall poll suggests a decade low-point for self-identifying moderates with just 34% thinking of themselves as middle of the road. That total is down a highly questionable seven percentage-points from just this February and from a high of 52% in September of 2004.
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