Pennsylvania in the Bag?

Hard to imagine, but the latest Qunnipiac Poll suggests that my state may be out of reach for Preznit:

July 6-11, 1500 RV, MoE 2.5, June 24 numbers in parenthesis

Two-Way Trial
Kerry: 49 (49)
Bush:  42 (43)

Bush Job Approval
Disapprove:  52 (53)
Approve:     45 (45)
This seems like no big deal. Kerry leads, but not something that Bush would be unable to overcome. However, look at these numbers:
Unfavorables 
Statewide
Bush:  42 (42)
Kerry: 28 (30)
       Central	      NW
Bush	34	      35
Kerry	32	      31
       Philly	      NE
Bush	62	      41
Kerry	14	      31
Not only is Bush getting crushed and making negative progress in the unfavorables department, Philadelphia shows that Bush is actually over-performing. The city of Philadelphia, with 1/8 of the state's voters, regularly gives Democrats around 85% of the two-party vote. Bush is way down, and Philadelphia has not even maxed out yet. This is because Bush is behind in the two most Republican areas of the state: central and northwest PA. He is down by ten in lean-Republican Northeast PA. Actually, Bush's unfavorables are higher than Kerry's in every part of the state!

While this is only one poll, it suggests Pennsylvania is a rout in the making for Kerry. Also, remember that both campaigns are not advertising as heavily here as they are in almost all other swing sates. Perhaps they both know something. If Kerry wins PA, he only needs either OH or FL to nearly seal the election. Things are looking goooood.

Update: I didn't notice the first time I looked at the poll, but Bush has a 37-59 approve / disapprove among independents in this poll, while Dems and Reps are 82-16 mirrors. Further, Bush's unfavorables among indies are at 46, while Kerry's are at 19. These are nail in the coffin type numbers.



Display:


Bush up in Philly? (none / 0)

I think you mean Kerry 62, Bush 14 in Phily.  Otherwise we are screwed.
by Anonymous Citizen on Wed Jul 14, 2004 at 12:23:39 PM EST

Re: Bush up in Philly? (none / 0)

No, he is talking about UNfavorable numbers so high is bad for Bush
by Anonymous Citizen on Wed Jul 14, 2004 at 12:38:16 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Noooooooo (none / 0)

Pennsylvania is not in the bag. Remember, even if you assume that this result is not an outlier, you have to subtract 3-4 points that came from a temporary Edwards bump (made larger by the fact that the announcement was in PA). From my second hand conversations with the Kerry camp, I'm pretty sure they think PA, in the long run, is more problematic than OH. I don't agree with that, but Bush has some strength in PA and has visited many, many times. Look at it again after Labor Day, but until then, this race is not over!
by Anonymous Citizen on Wed Jul 14, 2004 at 12:25:13 PM EST

Re: Noooooooo (none / 0)

I too feel it is far too soon to say PA is in the bag, but why do you assume the Ewards bounce is temporary? One could argue that Kerry's polling numbers have been weakened up to now by not having a vice-president (I do not believe the CW that the
VP does not effect the outcome.) Perhaps the PA announcement of it had an effect that will wear off but I think the main part of the bounce will last. (As opposed to convention bounces which usually cancel each other out.)
by Anonymous Citizen on Wed Jul 14, 2004 at 12:44:08 PM EST
[ Parent ]

No bounce (none / 0)

Look at the results from late June--exactly the same. There was no Edwards bounce to speak of.
by Chris Bowers on Wed Jul 14, 2004 at 01:20:15 PM EST
[ Parent ]

I'm pretty sure it's in the bag. (none / 0)

Teresa still makes her home in Pittsburgh and was a very popular public figure. A marginal improvement among Western Pennsylvanians puts this state out of reach.

More time and money to spend in Ohio :).

by Anonymous Citizen on Wed Jul 14, 2004 at 01:54:43 PM EST

Not In the Bag (none / 0)

In every presidential election in years, there was at least a 5-10 and often much larger fluctuation in support for the candidates on a national basis in the last 6 months of the campaign.  I remember when Clinton was 3rd behind Perot and Bush in Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Michigan, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, and many other states this time in July 1992, and then went on to be ahead everywhere after the late July convention, and then things evened out a bit toward the end.

Bottom line:  unless a candidate is consistently up by double digits, preferably over 15 points, I would not count that state in the bag.  Particularly when big money is likely to be spent in that state by both sides.

by Anonymous Citizen on Wed Jul 14, 2004 at 02:16:32 PM EST

PaGuy (none / 0)

With Kerry's strong showing in Allegeny County, Philly, and the Philly Suburbs it will be hard for Bush to overcome the 200,000 votes he came short in 2000 with Nader getting 2%.  As a PA resident in Allegney count I can tell you Bush will lose by alot here.  Bush will not win PA.
by Anonymous Citizen on Wed Jul 14, 2004 at 03:08:25 PM EST

Coorelate with advertising numbers (none / 0)

Coorelate this poll with the advertising numbers story from the other day: both campaigns are spending below average in PA. That means they are confident in the results of PA.

I don't think it's in the bag either, but it is looking good so far.

by Anonymous Citizen on Wed Jul 14, 2004 at 06:04:27 PM EST

Re: Pennsylvania in the Bag? (none / 0)

"Bush has a 37-59 approve / disapprove among independents in this poll"

That for me is the sign of a clincher. I mean, he'd have to swing 10% of them just to have a chance.

by Jerome Armstrong on Wed Jul 14, 2004 at 08:08:32 PM EST


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