Ominous Signs for Specter's Re-Election Bid

Although Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter leads his Democratic primary opponent and is running neck-and-neck in a general election matchup against Republican Pat Toomey, only 31 percent of the state's voters want to see him re-elected and 59 percent said it's time for someone else to have a chance, according to a Susquehanna Polling and Research survey conducted Oct. 7-12.

Susquehanna's Jim Lee told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, "when I see a re-elect in the low 30s, that's . . . near fatal."

Sixteen percent of Republicans, the party Specter left this year, say Specter deserves another term, compared to 75 percent who say he doesn't. Forty-four percent of Democrats would re-elect Specter while 45 percent want someone else, a strong indication that Specter has not been embraced by the party rank-and-file.

In a Democratic primary, Specter leads Rep. Joe Sestak by 44 percent to 16 percent with 18 percent saying they would not vote for either and 22 percent undecided.

In the general election match-up, Specter is statistically tied with Toomey, leading him 42 percent to 41 percent with 12 percent undecided. Four percent said they wouldn't support either candidate.