BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Pennsylvania Democratic Sen. Bob Casey's lead over Republican challenger Dave McCormick is narrowing, according to three new polls, one of which puts the gap between the candidates at just one point.
A collaboration between The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer and Siena College vote Among registered voters, Casey (48%) leads McCormick (39%) by nine points, with 13% still undecided.
McCormick narrowed the 14-point lead (50% to 36%) in the same poll in August and increased his support by 3 points, while Casey's approval rating fell by 2 points.
of Second voteA poll from Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster showed the same pattern, with Casey leading by high single digits but McCormick catching up.
Democrats (48%) hold an 8-point lead over Republicans (40%), but that's down from a 12-point lead (48% to 36%) in August.
F&M noted that this was the most respondents rated Casey's job performance as “poor” (27%) since at least August 2007, his first year in the position.
Still, the poll shows Mr. Casey maintaining a much higher net favorability rating (+2) than Mr. McCormick (-14), likely a result of an advertising offensive by Democrats that blasted his challenger's past as a hedge fund executive and challenged his deep ties to the Keystone State.
F&M found a small number of Trump-Casey voters (2% of those surveyed) but few Harris-McCormick voters. Casey has historically performed well among older, more conservative Pennsylvania voters who remember when his father was a popular governor from 1987 to 1995.
Thursday Third voteCasey (47%) leads McCormick (46%) by just one point, according to the Washington Post poll, with the remaining 7% of respondents either supporting a third-party candidate (3%) or undecided (4%).
The poll finds that both Casey and McCormick have marginally favorable perceptions: 41% favorable and 40% unfavorable for Casey, and 37% favorable and 35% unfavorable for McCormick.
Record advertising spending is expected in the final stages of Pennsylvania's Senate race as candidates prepare for debates next month.
Casey and McCormick have agreed to debate in Harrisburg on Oct. 3 and in Philadelphia on Oct. 15, but the Pittsburgh debate is still being arranged.
