GOP's Pat Toomey Leads Democrat Joe Sestak in Pennsylvania Senate Race

Republican Pat Toomey holds a 50 percent to 43 percent lead over Democrat Joe Sestak in the race for the Pennsylvania Senate seat held by Republic-turned-Democrat Arlen Specter, according to a Quinnipiac University poll conducted Sept. 15-19. Seven percent are undecided. The margin of error is 3.8 points.

While both candidates get strong support from their respective parties, Toomey, a former congressman and onetime head of the conservative Club for Growth, leads Sestak by 54 percent to 36 percent, with 10 percent undecided. Sestak is a second term congressman representing suburban Philadelphia who defeated Specter for the Democratic nomination after Toomey's challenge forced Specter from the GOP race.

Eight-five percent of voters say they have made up their minds, with about an equal number of certain supporters for Toomey and Sestak.

Fifty-two percent of voters say they want a senator who will oppose President Obama's policies, while 43 percent want someone who will support them, with 5 percent undecided.

"Toomey's lead among independents is why he is ahead," said Quinnipiac's Peter Brown. "With only 7 percent of the likely voters undecided ... the battle for the Senate seat appears likely to come down to a relatively small number of voters and in the final weeks expect the campaigns to target their messages for those undecided and softly committed voters."


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