The race for a Pennsylvania seat in the U.S. Senate in 2010 couldn't get any tighter, according to a poll of state voters released this morning.Democratic Sen. Arlen Specter and Republican challenger Pat Toomey are deadlocked at 44 percent each, the latest Quinnipiac University poll says.
Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,381 state voters from Dec. 8 through Monday. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.6 percentage points.
Pennsylvania voters also gave President Barack Obama a narrow job approval rating, 49 to 45 percent.
Mr. Specter held a 53 to 33 percent lead over Mr. Toomey in the May 4 poll, but Mr. Toomey took a 43 to 42 percent lead Oct. 1.
"Specter has the state's Democratic registration advantage on his side, while Toomey can take heart in the numbers that show problems for Specter in measures in addition to the horse race," said Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. "For example, voters say 50 to 38 percent he does not deserve reelection."
Mr. Specter holds a strong 53 to 30 percent lead in the Democratic Senate primary over Congressman Joe Sestak, up from the 44 to 25 percent margin Oct. 1.
State voters give Mr. Specter a 47 to 45 percent job approval rating; 55 percent say they don't know enough about Mr. Toomey to form an opinion.
President Obama's approval rating is comparable to a 49 to 42 percent score Oct. 1. The president receives a positive rating from 82 percent of Democrats, 45 percent of independents and 17 percent of Republicans. Voters, however, disapprove 50 to 45 percent of Mr. Obama's handling of the economy and disapprove 56 to 37 percent of his handling of health care. On Afghanistan, state voters approve 51 to 41 percent.