GOP's Tom Corbett Has Big Lead Over Dan Onorato in Pennsylvania Governor Race

Republican Tom Corbett holds a 54 percent to 39 percent lead over Democrat Dan Onorato in Pennsylvania's gubernatorial race thanks in part to a big lead among independents, according to a Quinnipiac University poll conducted Sept. 15-19. Seven percent are undecided.

Corbett, the state's attorney general, and Onorato, the Allegheny County executive, both get about the same amount of support from voters in their own parties, but Corbett runs ahead among independents by 56 percent to 29 percent with 13 percent undecided.

Nearly eight out of 10 voters say their minds are made up, with the number of certain backers for Corbett and Onorato about equal.

While both candidates are in positive territory when it comes to whether voters see them favorably, a third do not know enough about Onorato to have an opinion and that number is 27 percent for Corbett.

Corbett comes out on top of Onorato on the question of who would perform better in dealing with the state's economy and its budget.

Forty-nine percent said Corbett most shared their values while 38 percent chose Onorato, with 12 percent undecided. Independents chose Corbett by 51 percent to 33 percent, with 15 percent undecided.

A poll conducted Sept. 14-16 by Critical Insights for the Wilkes-Barre Times Leader had Corbett ahead of Onorato by only 38 percent to 37 percent with 25 percent undecided, but that result did not include leaners, who favored Corbett by a 58 percent to 36 percent margin.