F&M Poll: Biden Leads Dem Pack in PA

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The 28th year of consecutive polling in Pennsylvania

Below are the highlights of the August, 2019, Franklin & Marshall College Poll. Complete results can be found at http://www.fandm.edu/fandmpoll

  • Half (51%) of the state’s registered voters believe the state is “headed in the right direction.”
  • Most (61%) registered voters in Pennsylvania believe that the state’s tax system needs a fundamental overhaul and three in five (60%) believes that property taxes should be replaced by broader, state-wide taxes.
  • Most (65%) also believe that the state spends “too little” on services for people with mental health issues. One in four (27%) voters feel it would be hard to access mental health services.
  • Former Vice President Joe Biden (28%) is the top choice for president among Pennsylvania’s registered Democrats, followed by Senator Elizabeth Warren (21%).Bernie Sanders trails at (12%, and Kamala Harris at (8%).
  • About one in three (37%) registered voters in Pennsylvania believe President Trump is doing an “excellent” or “good” job as president, which is consistent with recent F&M polls.
  • Only one in three (34%) registered voters believes that the United States is “headed in the right direction.
  • Two in five (38%) registered voters believe President Trump has done a good enough job to deserve re-election and most (78%) of these respondents say they will vote for him no matter who runs against him.
  • Three in five (61%) voters say it is time for a change and four in five (85%) of these voters say they will vote against the president no matter who runs against him.

This survey reflects interviews with 627 Pennsylvania registered voters, including 295 Democrats, 251 Republicans and 81 Independents conducted by the Center for Opinion Research at Franklin & Marshall College from July 29-Aug 4, 2019. The sample error for this survey is +/- +/- 6.0 percentage points.  A complete methodological statement can be found in the full report.

The Franklin & Marshall College Poll is produced in conjunction with the Philadelphia Daily News, WGAL-TV (South Central PA), Pittsburgh Tribune Review, WTAE-TV (Pittsburgh), WPVI-TV6/ABC (Philadelphia), Times-Shamrock Newspapers, Harrisburg Patriot-News/PennLive, LNP media group, WITF, the Reading Eagle and Pennsylvania Capital-Star. It may be used in whole or in part, provided any use is attributed to the college.