Poll Shows Onorato Extending Lead, Sestak Gaining

[blue neen]

"Dan Onorato is widening his lead in Pennsylvania's Democratic gubernatorial primary, while Arlen Specter's lead over his Senate Democratic primary foe seems to be shrinking.

Results of a Quinnipiac University poll were released Tuesday morning amid heavy TV advertising for the May 18 primary.

It shows U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak trailing Mr. Specter, 47 to 39 percent, among likely voters. The fifth-term incumbent led 53 to 32 percent a month ago.

In the four-way gubernatorial race, 36 percent support Mr. Onorato -- an increase from 20 percent for the Allegheny County executive.

State Auditor General Jack Wagner, state Sen. Anthony Hardy Williams and Montgomery County Commissioner Joe Hoeffel each scored below 10 percent.

The survey of 930 Democrats was conducted in the week ending Sunday. The sampling error margin is 3.2 percentage points."

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10124/1055451-100.stm#ixzz0mxpbqk6x

[RamboLiberal]

1. I think the Specter ads may be bitng him in the butt

Really sleazy IMHO the attack on Sestak's naval service. I'm kind of torn here who to vote for. I want someone who can beat Toomey and I do question if Sestak can. But then I'm not real thrilled about Arlen either. I'm thinking of voting for Sestak in the primary and then voting for the Dem no matter who in the fall.

[blue neen]

2. Agreed.

The attacks on Sestak's military service just make Specter seem mean-spirited.

[PADEMJES12]

3. sestak cannot beat toomey.

in terms of sleazy, joe can clear that up. Its 100 true. Joe wont release the records
thats what i call sleazy.

[Yellow Horse]

4. Sestak WILL NOT beat Toomey, & a lot of Dems I know will not vote for Onorato under any circumstance

If this poll comes true, I guess PA will be red as fire for the foreseeable future.

Oh well.

[blue neen]

6. Could you please explain why you feel that Sestak cannot beat Toomey.

Please give concrete reasons...no hype.

I'd appreciate your opinion.

[RamboLiberal]

7. One huge problem Sestak will have is he favors the AWB

and at least in the primary is outspoken about it. The gun lobby here is strong. I'm a Dem & I think that was a stupid law. Certainly if the race is Sestak and Toomey I'd vote for Sestak because I agree with most of his positions except this one.

[blue neen]

8. Thanks RamboLiberal.

Is the AWB the automatic weapons ban? I plead ignorance on the subject. Maybe you could explain it. You are correct...the gun lobby here is very strong.

The strange thing is, most Dems I know are hunters and/or gun owners like my husband. There are so many issues that are important in this election.

[wisteria]

12. Oh, and don't forget the Congressional seat Sestak is giving up to run in this primary.

That will go to a Republican to. If we have a Repub Congressperson and a Senator, I will blame Sestak. He screwed the party and the people of PA for his own self interests.

[wisteria]

11. I agree. He is a bad leader and he won't release his records because he knows what is in them.

He was never swift boated. Sestak wouldn't know what it was like to be swift boated like Senator Kerry was.

[MH1]

14. Sestak WILL beat Toomey. Specter won't.

[wisteria]

9. The ad told the truth. The Military Times and Navy Times are non-partisan,

so they have no reason to lie. Sestak is a hothead who has to be the one in charge giving the orders. He is an egotist and he is a weak candidate. I don't like him at all. And, I can not see him winning against Toomey in the Fall. Sestak is also not above taking money from Republicans to win. This does not sit well with me. He calls himself the real Democrat, but he takes Republican money? This makes me wonder who Sestak is really looking out for.

[MH1]

17. From Sestak's former commander, Vern Clark

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/home_region/20100422_Specter_blasted_for_attacking_Sestak_s_Navy_service.html

The Navy has never commented on the record about Sestak's reassignment, but it also has never disputed the accuracy of the story. Sestak, who was head of the Navy's warfare planning division, had a reputation for working subordinates hard that was intense even by military standards, Pentagon sources confirm.

But it is also true that Sestak, a protege of the preceding chief of naval operations, Adm. Vern Clark, had angered many in the top echelons of the service because he advocated cutbacks in the Navy's fleet.

"He challenged people who didn't want to be challenged," Clark told The Inquirer this month.

Sestak, who had been promoted to deputy chief of naval operations, a three-star position under Clark, has said Mullen wanted his own team. In 2005, Mullen reassigned him to a lesser job. Sestak retired in 2006 as a rear admiral and was elected to represent the Seventh District in the Philadelphia suburbs.

At the American Legion Hall Wednesday, the commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars post in Folsom, where Sestak is a member, criticized Specter.

"The anger inside right now is unbelievable," said Jerry Gavin, 60, a former Army medic. If Specter "was here today, somebody would have to hold me back."

I thought progressives want military funding to be cut ... Sestak was advocating strategic cuts ... even Gates supports those now. This is the kind of guy we want as a Senator!

I included the comments from the local VFW commander because hey, the local guys KNOW Sestak. Like Kerry's crew did for him, these guys are standing up for Joe and appearing in ads for him. If he was some kind of rotten human being would they be doing that?

I looked for but could not find the original Navy Times article. I am sure that, like the Swift Liars taking John Kerry's OWN WORDS out of context in 2004, in context the meaning is not quite as awful as Specter has managed to make it appear. That is why smears are called "smears".

[old mark]

5. I don't care much for Sestak, but I like Specter even less - it seems we have a serious problem

coming up here in PA - the GOP's might take it all...I'd really HATE to see Toomey representing PA, even more than Corbett as governor...Yet if Onorato IS Rendell's handpicked successor, I want none of him either...

Choices?

mark

[wisteria]

10. Vote for Specter. As I said in my other post, I know for a fact that Sestak has been taking

Republican money to win. He calls himself the real Democrat, but taking contributions from Republicans make me wonder who he is really looking out for. Also, you may not have like the ad about Sestak's military demotion, but it is the truth. The Navy Times and the Military Times are non-partisan and they have no reason to lie. I have reason to believe that Sestak is a hothead and an egotist and I personally think he is a weak candidate for the Senate. His record as a Congressman was thin at best. My feeling is, he is an opportunist and what is best for PA is not on his agenda. I am sticking with Senator Specter. He may have been a Democrat turned Republican and then back again, but he has always been a moderate and fair minded. He has stood up against his party and for the people of PA when necessary. I also think he brings years of experience and good connections to PA. He has always done right by PA and I will not vote against him just because he switch parties. And, especially not because someone like Sestak thinks he deserves the seat.

[MH1]

15. It's a problem that he is taking money away from the GOP?

(and frankly if he takes money from republicans that's money Toomey's not getting and makes me happy)

SPECTER SUPPORTS A FLAT TAX AND ELIMINATION OF THE ESTATE TAX.

http://www.votesmart.org/npat.php?can_id=53340#544

that's 'moderate and fair-minded'?

as for the command climate thing - SPECTER LIED. He smeared a 30-year veteran. And you are ok with that? (Sestak was NOT 'relieved of command', he was re-assigned for internal political reasons - happens ALL THE TIME at that level in the military. And he was not demoted. JOHN KERRY left active duty with a rank one lower than his highest rank while on active duty - did you forget that? Or was Kerry also 'demoted'? Sestak chose to retire rather than take the re-assignment. )

Lastly, if Sestak wins with the entire Dem establishment arrayed against him, I would say that he does deserve the seat.

[old mark]

13. Sestak was on a Philly radio program and declared he would

represent his district, which is mainly republican - he would be another Blue Dog dem in the Senate.
Also, he is the one running as a retired admiral - if he didn't want the past brought up, he should have just glossed over it...he might be another McCain.

I don't like having such people as my only viable choices.

I'm leaning toward Hoeffel and I'm still undecided about the Senate race, but may be goin gback to Arlen Spceter...I certainly DON'T want Toomey!

mark

[MH1]

16. you should read up on both candidates at Project Vote-Smart

and think about both candidates' history of coherent (or not) positions over time. Which one will most likely, over the next 6 years, support the policies that matter to you across the board, not just on one single issue?

Project Vote-Smart is a non-partisan site that tracks voting records, statements, and issue group ratings. I find the issue group ratings most useful, because then I don't have to wade through all the votes - they've done that for me.

If after doing that you still support Specter, that's fair. But I think you will see why many progressives support Sestak.