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FOR RELEASE: SEPTEMBER 21, 2010  CORBETT HAS BIG LEAD IN PENNSYLVANIA GOVERNOR’S RACE, QUINNIPIAC UNIVERSITY POLL FINDS; INDEPENDENT VOTERS BACK REPUBLICAN 2-1 Republican Attorney General Tom Corbett holds a 54 – 39 percent lead over Democrat Dan Onorato, the Allegheny County Executive, in the race to become Pennsylvania’s next governor, fueled by a 56 – 29 percent margin among independent voters, according to a Quinnipiac University poll of likely voters released today. Corbett also leads Onorato when it comes to rebuilding the state’s economy, handling its  budget problems and sharing voters’ values, the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University survey, conducted by live interviewers, fi nds. This is the fi rst general election survey of likely voters in Pennsylvania in this election cycle and c annot be compared to earlier surveys of registered voters. Only 7 percent of voters say they are undecided while 16 percent of Corbett backers and 22 percent of Onorato supporters say they might change their mind before Election Day, making Corbett’s competitive position slightly stronger. Corbett leads Onorato 88 – 9 percent among Republicans and trails 84 – 10 percent among Democrats. There is a yawning gender gap, with Corbett winning men 65 – 29 percent and Onorato ahead among women 52 – 39 percent. “Attorney General Tom Corbett is in strong position to be Pennsylvania’s next gove rnor.  Not only is his lead substantial, but his supporters are slightly less likely to say they might change their minds than are Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato’s,” said Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac Uni versity Polling In stitute. “Only 7 percent of voter s are undecided. So Onorato must win all of those voters and convert Corbett supporters as well.” -more- Peter Brown, Assistant Director, Quinnipiac University Polling Institute (203) 582-5201 Rubenstein Associates, Inc. Pu blic Relations

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FOR RELEASE: SEPTEMBER 21, 2010 

CORBETT HAS BIG LEAD IN PENNSYLVANIA GOVERNOR’S RACE,

QUINNIPIAC UNIVERSITY POLL FINDS;

INDEPENDENT VOTERS BACK REPUBLICAN 2-1

Republican Attorney General Tom Corbett holds a 54 – 39 percent lead over Democrat Dan

Onorato, the Allegheny County Executive, in the race to become Pennsylvania’s next governor,fueled by a 56 – 29 percent margin among independent voters, according to a Quinnipiac

University poll of likely voters released today.

Corbett also leads Onorato when it comes to rebuilding the state’s economy, handling its

 budget problems and sharing voters’ values, the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack)

University survey, conducted by live interviewers, finds. This is the first general election survey

of likely voters in Pennsylvania in this election cycle and cannot be compared to earlier surveys

of registered voters.

Only 7 percent of voters say they are undecided while 16 percent of Corbett backers and

22 percent of Onorato supporters say they might change their mind before Election Day, making

Corbett’s competitive position slightly stronger.

Corbett leads Onorato 88 – 9 percent among Republicans and trails 84 – 10 percent among

Democrats. There is a yawning gender gap, with Corbett winning men 65 – 29 percent and

Onorato ahead among women 52 – 39 percent.

“Attorney General Tom Corbett is in strong position to be Pennsylvania’s next governor.

 Not only is his lead substantial, but his supporters are slightly less likely to say they might change

their minds than are Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato’s,” said Peter Brown, assistant

director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. “Only 7 percent of voters are undecided.

So Onorato must win all of those voters and convert Corbett supporters as well.”

-more-

Peter Brown, AssistantDirector,Quinnipiac University PollingInstitute(203) 582-5201

Rubenstein Associates, Inc.Public Relations

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 Quinnipiac University Poll/September 21, 2010 – page 2

“An Onorato victory probably would require a sea change among independent voters who

are now strongly in Corbett’s camp and often are the group that decides elections,” Brown added.

Corbett’s lead in the horse race is matched by the difference in voter opinions of the two

candidates. Onorato’s favorable/unfavorable ratio with likely voters is 40 – 24 percent with 33

 percent saying they haven’t heard enough about him to form an opinion. Corbett gets a 51 – 21

 percent favorability while 27 percent haven’t formed an opinion. Among the key voting bloc,

independents, Corbett has a 50 – 17 percent favorability rating, while Onorato has a 33 – 29

 percent score.

“Gov. Ed Rendell isn’t exactly helping Onorato’s cause. Likely voters disapprove 57 – 35

 percent of the job Rendell is doing. In an election year that is showing strong signs of having an

anti-incumbent, anti-Democratic tide, Onorato’s party tie to the unpopular incumbent may be a problem,” said Brown.

Corbett leads Onorato on issue and character questions:

• 48 – 38 percent that he would do a better job rebuilding the state’s economy;

• 48 – 38 percent that he would better handle the state budget;

• 49 – 38 percent that the Republican most shares their values.

Only 2 percent of likely voters say they are “very satisfied” with the way things are going

in Pennsylvania today, while 34 percent are “somewhat satisfied.” A total of 64 percent are

“somewhat dissatisfied” or “very dissatisfied.”“This election is playing out across a pessimistic electorate. When voters are unhappy

with the status quo they look for change and since the two best known Democrats – President

Barack Obama and Gov. Ed Rendell – are not on the ballot this year, they are taking their 

frustrations out on any other Democratic target, and that is Dan Onorato,” said Brown.

From September 15 – 19, Quinnipiac University surveyed 684 Pennsylvania likely

voters, with a margin of error of +/- 3.8 percentage points.

The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public

opinion surveys in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Ohio and the

nation as a public service and for research.

For more data or RSS feed– http://www.quinnipiac.edu/polling.xml , call (203) 582-5201, or

follow us on Twitter.

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1. If the election for governor were being held today, and the candidates were

Dan Onorato the Democrat and Tom Corbett the Republican, for whom would you vote? (If

undecided q1) If you had to choose today, would you vote for Onorato or Corbett? This

table includes "Leaners".

LIKELY VOTERS.........................

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom

Onorato 39 9 84 29 29 52

Corbett 54 88 10 56 65 39

SMONE ELSE(VOL) 1 1 - 2 1 1

WLDN'T VOTE(VOL) - - - - - -

DK/NA 7 2 5 13 5 9

1a. (If candidate choice q1) Is your mind made up, or do you think you might change your

mind before the election?

LIKELY VOTERS.........

CAND CHOICE Q1

Tot DO TC

Made up 79% 77% 81%Might change 19 22 16

DK/NA 2 1 3

2. (If Onorato voter q1) Is your vote for Governor mainly for Onorato or against Corbett?

(*Subgroup not large enough to report)

LIKELY ONORATO VOTERS.................

Tot *Rep Dem Ind Men Wom

For Onorato 67 72 59 61 72

Against Corbett 26 25 28 34 21

DK/NA 6 3 13 5 7

3. (If Corbett voter q1) Is your vote for Governor mainly for Corbett or against Onorato?

(*Subgroup not large enough to report)

LIKELY CORBETT VOTERS.................

Tot Rep *Dem Ind Men Wom

For Corbett 73 78 67 74 69

Against Onorato 17 16 20 16 18

DK/NA 11 6 13 10 13

4. Is your opinion of - Dan Onorato favorable, unfavorable or haven't you heard enoughabout him?

LIKELY VOTERS.........................

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom

Favorable 40 19 76 33 34 49

Unfavorable 24 38 5 29 30 16

Hvn't hrd enough 33 40 18 35 34 32

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5. Is your opinion of - Tom Corbett favorable, unfavorable or haven't you heard enough

about him?

LIKELY VOTERS.........................

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom

Favorable 51 80 19 50 59 39

Unfavorable 21 4 45 17 18 24

Hvn't hrd enough 27 15 35 31 22 35

REFUSED 2 1 1 3 1 2

16. Which one of these four qualities matter most in deciding how you vote for Governor;

the candidate is honest and trustworthy, has the right experience, can bring about needed

change to Harrisburg or shares your values?

LIKELY VOTERS.........................

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom

Honest and

trustworthy 22 19 27 23 20 24Right experience 9 10 14 4 7 13

Can bring change 35 36 32 39 37 33

Shares values 30 34 26 28 33 27

DK/NA 3 2 1 6 3 3

CAND CHOICE Q1

DO TC

Honest and

trustworthy 20% 22%

Right experience 15 6

Can bring change 34 37

Shares values 29 31DK/NA 1 3

17. Regardless of how you intend to vote, who do you think would do a better job

rebuilding Pennsylvania's economy, Dan Onorato or Tom Corbett?

LIKELY VOTERS.........................

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom

Onorato 38 9 77 31 31 46

Corbett 48 78 12 49 57 36

NO DIFFERENCE(VOL) 2 1 - 3 1 2

DK/NA 13 12 10 17 11 16

18. Regardless of how you intend to vote, who do you think would do a better job handling

Pennsylvania's state budget, Dan Onorato or Tom Corbett?

LIKELY VOTERS.........................

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom

Onorato 38 9 77 31 31 47

Corbett 48 78 12 52 57 35

NO DIFFERENCE(VOL) 1 1 1 1 1 1

DK/NA 13 12 10 16 11 17

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19. Regardless of how you intend to vote, who do you trust more to do in office what

they say they will do during the campaign, Dan Onorato or Tom Corbett?

LIKELY VOTERS.........................

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom

Onorato 35 10 72 24 29 42Corbett 46 73 15 48 55 35

NO DIFFERENCE(VOL) 6 7 3 9 5 7

DK/NA 13 10 10 20 10 17

20. Regardless of how you intend to vote, who do you believe most shares your values, Dan

Onorato or Tom Corbett?

LIKELY VOTERS.........................

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom

Onorato 38 6 80 33 29 49

Corbett 49 83 10 51 58 38NO DIFFERENCE(VOL) 1 1 1 1 1 1

DK/NA 12 10 9 15 12 13

21. Which type of candidate would you prefer to see as governor, someone with years

of government experience or a government outsider?

LIKELY VOTERS.........................

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom

Experience 45 40 67 31 38 54

Outsider 43 49 22 52 50 33

DK/NA 13 11 11 18 13 13

CAND CHOICE Q1

DO TC

Experience 67% 31%

Outsider 20 58

DK/NA 13 11

22. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Ed Rendell is handling his job as

Governor?

LIKELY VOTERS.........................

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom

Approve 35 12 63 36 31 40

Disapprove 57 82 27 54 64 48

DK/NA 8 5 10 10 5 12

24. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Tom Corbett is handling his job as State

Attorney General?

LIKELY VOTERS.........................

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom

Approve 63 83 45 60 68 56

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Disapprove 16 8 27 12 16 17

DK/NA 21 9 28 28 17 27

25. In general, how satisfied are you with the way things are going in Pennsylvania

today? Are you very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, or very

dissatisfied?

LIKELY VOTERS.........................

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom

Very satisfied 2 1 2 2 1 2

Smwht satisfied 34 18 60 27 30 39

Smwht dissatisfied 39 42 28 43 39 38

Very dissatisfied 25 38 9 27 29 19

DK/NA 1 - 1 1 1 1

26. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Ed Rendell is handling the economy?

LIKELY VOTERS.........................

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom

Approve 33 13 60 31 30 37Disapprove 62 83 34 63 68 54

DK/NA 6 5 6 6 3 10

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