GOP's Corbett Has Edge Over Democratic Unknowns in Pa. Governor Race

Republican Tom Corbett, Pennsylvania's attorney general, has double-digit leads over the top Democratic candidates for governor -- all of whom are ranked behind "don't know" when voters are asked whom they favor in the party's primary, according to a Quinnipiac University poll conducted Feb. 22-28.

Corbett leads Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato by 42 percent to 32 percent with 24 percent undecided. Corbett gets stronger support from fellow Republicans (77 percent) than Onorato does from Democrats (64 percent). Among independents, Corbett leads 40 percent to 23 percent with 33 percent undecided. Corbett's margin is somewhat smaller than in December, when he led by 45 percent to 30 percent.

Corbett leads Auditor General Jack Wagner, 42 percent to 30 percent, with 26 percent undecided. Corbett has the support of 76 percent of fellow Republicans to Wagner's 63 percent among Democrats. Corbett leads Wagner among independents 40 percent to 19 percent with 37 percent undecided. That result is similar to where they stood in December.

Corbett leads former Rep. Joe Hoeffel by 41 percent to 30 percent with 27 percent undecided. Corbett gets 75 percent Republican support compared to 61 percent Democratic support for Hoeffel. Corbett leads among independents, 39 percent to 20 percent with 37 percent undecided.

Fifty-nine percent of voters are undecided at this point when it comes to the Democratic primary field, with Onorato polling the highest percentage of support (16), followed by Wagner (11) and Hoeffel (10). The primary is May 18.

Forty-eight percent say they have not heard enough about Corbett to know whether their opinion of him is favorable or unfavorable. But the numbers of "don't knows" for the Democrats are much higher: 71 percent for Onorato and Wagner, and 77 percent for Hoeffel.

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