President Obama is showing a solid lead in two polls of registered Pennsylvania voters. A Franklin and Marshall College poll shows a gap of 11 points between Barack Obama and Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney among likely Pennsylvania voters.
Pollster Terry Madonna noted Romney’s favorability ratings in this survey are “much lower” than John McCain’s scores were in 2008. He said most voters judge the president to be better equipped to handle the economy, foreign policy issues, and serve as commander in chief.
“The things that voters are really likely to cast a vote on, the president simply does better. His nine point lead among registered voters is very, very consistent with the vast majority of polls that have been out in the last couple of weeks,” said Madonna.
Governor Romney has had a hard time gaining any traction in the Keystone State.
“The fundamental problem that Governor Romney faces is that he just simply has not defined himself, he's not been specific about what he will do if elected, and I think that’s been a serious problem for him. Additionally, he’s not been able to make himself substantially more popular with the voters.”
In the mean time, a survey by Quinnipiac University also finds the president leading Romney in Pennsylvania as well as in two other big electoral prizes, Ohio and Florida.
The findings conflict with those of a state Republican party internal poll released last week, which showed the presidential race to be a virtual tie in the commonwealth.
