President Barack Obama's job approval rating in Pennsylvania is a negative 42 - 53 percent, an all-time low and a major drop from his 51 - 44 percent approval February 17, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today.
Pennsylvania voters say 52 - 42 percent he does not deserve a second term, his worst showing on that measure also. In a mythical matchup, he gets 40 percent to an unnamed Republican challenger's 41 percent in the 2012 presidential race.
Independent voters say 56 - 37 percent that Obama does not deserve a second term and back an unnamed Republican challenger over the president by a smaller 36 - 29 percent margin.
"President Barack Obama's re-election team has work to do in the Keystone State," said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. "Although Pennsylvania has traditionally been a swing state, the size of his 2008 margin gave many observers the idea that it would not be a heavily contested state."
"It's still 18 months until Election Day 2012, but these numbers are not going to make the White House happy," Brown said.
Castle Doctrine
Pennsylvania voters support 53 - 39 percent a proposed law giving citizens the ability to use lethal force in self-defense in any public place if they feel their life is in danger, the poll finds.
The overall majority support for expanding the "castle doctrine" of self-defense hides a large gender gap, with 63 percent of men and only 45 percent of women backing the change. The political division is also substantial, with 68 percent of Republicans and 56 percent of independent voters in favor, and 54 percent of Democrats opposed.
Gun-owners support the measure 68 - 24 percent.
Pennsylvania voters are split as 48 percent say it is more important to protect the rights of citizens to own guns, while 47 percent say it is more important to control gun ownership. The gender split shows 58 percent of men saying protecting gun rights is more important while 56 percent of women say controlling gun ownership is more important. All voters say 64 - 28 percent that if more people carry guns, streets would be more dangerous.
Gun-owners split 45 - 46 percent on whether streets would be safer or more dangerous.
Casey-Toomey
Pennsylvania's two U.S. senators have almost identical approval ratings: 44 - 26 percent for Sen. Bob Casey Jr., the Democrat, and 43 - 25 percent for Sen. Pat Toomey, the Republican.
