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Carney clings to narrow lead in new poll

Congressman Chris Carney (D-10) is holding on to a slim lead in his bid for a third term, but his race against Republican Tom Marino is essentially a dead heat one month before Election Day, according to a new poll.

The Lycoming College survey released Monday echoed other public and private polls in showing a close race. Carney is facing a perilous political climate, but has benefited form a massive financial advantage and a seemingly endless series of public relations missteps by Marino. In the poll, Marino garners 43 percent of the vote, compared to 40 percent for Marino. Sixteen percent are still undecided.

Both candidates fare equally well with independent voters. But Carney has actually locked down a larger proportion of Democratic support than Marino has Republican support in the conservative, northeast Pennsylvania district. But in spite of his votes in favor of the Democratic agenda that can be politically toxic here, more than 50 percent of voters still view Carney favorably, and Marino’s negative ratings remain considerable.

“Even though this is a favorable year for the Republicans, many people in the district still don’t know Marino,” Lycoming pollster Jonathan Williamson said. “When they do, it appears that Democrats have had success defining who he is.”

The poll of 370 likely voters, conducted Sept. 26-30, had a margin of error of 5.1 percent.

October 5, 2010 at 10:49 am

--Dan Hirschhorn

Tags: Chris Carney, PA-10, Tom Marino

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