Santorum 2nd in Pennsylvania Presidential Poll
The GOP primary may well be decided by the time Pennsylvanians vote in 2012, but the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute didn’t shy away from the chance to take the pulse of PA voters. Former Pennsylvania US Senator Rick Santorum comes in second in his home state, with 16% support. Frontrunner Mitt Romney leads PA with 21%. Sarah Palin captured third place with 11%, despite the fact that she’s made no announcement concerning her candidacy. While Santorum had a decent showing in today’s Pennsylvania poll, most national polls place him toward the bottom of the crowded GOP field.
President Obama would win the hypothetical matchup with Rick Santorum in Pennsylvania, 49 – 38. Obama’s approval rating in PA, according to the Q-Poll, is split 48 – 48. That’s a marked improvement from the April poll, which showed Obama in negative territory (42 – 53). “Whether it’s still the Osama bin Laden bounce, or because voters are taking a closer look at the alternatives, President Barack Obama’s fortunes in Pennsylvania, a critical swing state in presidential elections, have improved – at least for now,” says Quinnipiac pollster Tim Malloy.
There are two other Republican contenders with PA ties. Ron Paul – a Pittsburgh native – netted 6% in today’s poll. Newt Gingrich – a Harrisburg native – received 5%.
