PA SEN: Climbing A Ridge

A Quinnipiac University survey released today shows that Sen. Arlen Specter's decision last week to switch to the Dem Party might have deflated GOPer Pat Toomey's chances of winning a SEN bid. Period.

Quinnipiac notes that Specter "would whip" Toomey in a '10 primary contest, 53% to 33%. But if ex-Gov. Tom Ridge becomes the GOP nom, he'd barely trail Specter, 46% to 43%.

In a Specter-Ridge face-off, GOPers would back Ridge 82% - 10%, while Specter would take Dems, 78% to 14%. Men opt for Ridge 50% to 41%, while women stick with Specter, 51% to 37%. Union households would go with Specter 57% to 34%.

So Specter's party change erased one GOP problem but might leave him vulnerable to another. Ridge is reportedly weighing a bid.

From 4/29 to 5/3, Quinnipiac surveyed 1,120 PA voters with a margin of error of +/- 2.9 percentage points.

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