June 28, 2016
Pennsylvania voters remain split on the race for the United States Senate seat, but a majority want the current crop of Senators to hold confirmation hearings to fill the vacant seat on the Supreme Court.
Public Policy Polling released on Tuesday the results of a poll that surveyed voters in six swing states on a variety of issues.
Senator Pat Toomey, the Republican incumbent, holds a slight edge over Democratic challenger Katie McGinty, 40 percent to 39. However, 21 percent of voters are undecided.
Quinnipiac University poll in May: Toomey 45 percent, McGinty 44
Despite the slim lead, only 30 percent of respondents approve of Sen. Toomey's job performance compared to 39 percent who disapprove and 31 percent who are unsure.
Toomey, who was elected in 2010, could be negatively affected by his opposition to holding confirmation hearings to fill Justice Antonin Scalia's seat on the Supreme Court. That position leads just 23 percent of voters to say they would be more likely to vote for Toomey. Forty percent of voters said it would make them less likely and 37 percent said it did not matter.
Pennsylvania voters overwhelmingly believe the U.S. Senate should hold confirmation hearings for nominee Merrick Garland, 64 percent to 19.
Last but certainly not least, the poll revealed that Hillary Clinton has a four-point lead over Donald Trump in the presidential race, 46 percent to 42. Another 11 percent are unsure.
Clinton also had a lead in four of the other five swing states that were polled: Iowa (up 2 percent), New Hampshire (up 4 percent), Ohio (up 4 percent) and Wisconsin (up 8 percent). Trump has a 4 percent lead in Arizona.
The poll interviewed 980 registered voters on June 22 and 23 in the Keystone State, 80 percent by phone and 20 percent via the internet. The poll's margin of error is +/- 3.1 percent.
