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GOP poll shows Onorato building a lead

A recent statewide advertising blitz by Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato is apparently beginning to work, with the gubernatorial hopeful opening up a lead over his Democratic primary rivals, according to a new poll.

The survey, released Wednesday by the GOP firm Susquehanna Polling & Research, found Onorato garnering 32 percent of the vote, by far his best showing of the race. He is followed by Montgomery County Commissioner Joe Hoeffel with 13 percent, Auditor General Jack Wagner with six percent and state Senator Anthony Williams (D-Philadelphia) with four percent; 43 percent of Democrats are still undecided, according to the poll.

The poll was the second data set showing Onorato on the rise since his campaign began airing TV ads. A Quinnipiac University survey last week found Onorato garnering 20 percent of likely primary voters.

Hoeffel still leads Onorato in the critical southeast region, 27 percent to 19 percent, according to the Susquehanna poll. Pollster James Lee wrote that the findings confirm that Onorato’s advertising “is having an impact since he leads in all regions but for the Philadelphia media market.”

“Onorato is definitely pulling away from the pack,” Lee told The Tribune-Review. “It’s tough to see a scenario where someone can deny him the nomination, based on where this poll is now.”

In the Republican primary, Attorney General Tom Corbett still holds a wide lead over state Representative Sam Rohrer (R-Berks), 50 percent to seven percent, according to the poll.

The survey of 400 Democrats, conducted April 7-12, had a margin of error of 4.9 percent.

Click here to see the full poll.

April 14, 2010 at 3:28 pm

--Dan Hirschhorn

Tags: Anthony Williams, Dan Onorato, Jack Wagner, Joe Hoeffel, Sam Rohrer, Tom Corbett

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