A new Quinnipiac University poll released Monday took the pulse of Pennsylvania voters on a variety of issues in recent headlines: more limits on emissions from coal-fired power plants, cutting off federal funding for Planned Parenthood, illegal immigration and sending U.S. ground troops to fight ISIS in Syria and Iraq.
In coal-rich Pennsylvania, voters support 67 – 28 percent federal requirements that owners of coal-burning power plants reduce pollution.
Republicans oppose the proposed limits 51 – 45 percent, but every other party, gender or age group supports them by wide margins.
Voters say 72 – 24 percent these efforts are needed to clean the air, but they are divided 44 – 44 percent on whether these efforts will be too expensive.
“The coal industry has put food on the table for many generations in Pennsylvania, but nostalgia only goes so far. Voters want cleaner air and they want the feds to police the pollution,” said Tim Malloy, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll.
The gender gap persists as Pennsylvania voters oppose 55 - 39 percent cutting off federal funding for Planned Parenthood.
Men oppose the fund cutoff by a narrow 49 - 45 percent, with women opposed 60 - 34 percent. Republicans support the cutoff 64 - 30 percent with Democrats opposed 82 - 11 percent and independent voters opposed 54 - 39 percent.
Offered three choices on illegal immigration:
-- 52 percent say immigrants should be allowed to stay, with a path to citizenship;
-- 9 percent say immigrants should be allowed to stay, with no path to citizenship; and
-- 37 percent say immigrants should be forced to leave.
Pennsylvania voters support 50 - 44 percent sending U.S. ground troops to fight ISIS in Syria and Iraq. Men support deployment 56 - 41 percent, with women divided 44 - 46 percent.
