West Long Branch, NJ (SBN) – Democrat John Fetterman is viewed more favorably and is more trusted on key issues than Republican Mehmet Oz, in the race for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania. Fetterman is also performing a few points stronger than his party in general, according to the latest Monmouth University Poll.
The poll finds that economic concerns are a bigger factor in voters’ Senate choice than rights and democratic processes, but voters interested in democratic processes are more motivated to turn out at this stage of the campaign.
SBN News Director Steve Lubetkin spoke exclusively with Monmouth University Polling Institute Director Patrick Murray about the results of the Pennsylvania senatorial election poll.
You can listen to the conversation in the player below.
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Fetterman has a positive personal rating of 47% favorable to 42% unfavorable. Just under half of the electorate will either definitely (32%) or probably (17%) vote for him in November. Oz has a net negative personal rating of 36% favorable to 52% unfavorable. About 4 in 10 will either definitely (23%) or probably (16%) vote for him. Slightly more Pennsylvania voters say they definitely will not vote for Oz (45%) than completely rule out Fetterman (38%).
Bread and butter concerns are driving factors for most Pennsylvania voters. Top issues facing the country according to the commonwealth’s electorate are the economy (30%) and inflation (31%) along with gas prices specifically (7%). Other issues include illegal immigration (14%), abortion (13%), democracy, voting and elections (11%), and crime (9%). When asked directly which set of issues are a bigger factor in their U.S. Senate vote, 52% point to concerns about the economy and cost of living while 38% are more focused on concerns about fundamental rights and the democratic process. Republicans prioritize the economy (72%) and Democrats prioritize rights (59%).
When asked who they trust more on jobs, the economy and cost of living, 41% of voters choose Fetterman and 36% pick Oz. The Democrat also has larger advantages on “defending your values” (43% to 34% for Oz), as well as abortion (44% to 26%) and gun control (40% to 30%). The two candidates run even on being trusted to handle immigration (34% Fetterman to 34% Oz).
Comparing favorability ratings for the two political parties finds them running about even – 45% favorable for the Democratic Party and 43% favorable for the Republican Party. The same is true at the presidential level – 43% have a favorable view of Joe Biden and 43% have a favorable view of Donald Trump. When asked about their preference for party control of Congress, Pennsylvania voters are divided at 47% for the Republicans and 46% for the Democrats.
The Monmouth University Poll was conducted by telephone from September 8 to 12, 2022 with 605 Pennsylvania registered voters. The question results in this release have a margin of error of +/- 4.0 percentage points. The poll was conducted by the Monmouth University Polling Institute in West Long Branch, NJ.
Steve Lubetkin is the news director for StateBroadcastNews.com. Steve’s journalism background includes print and broadcast reporting for NJ news organizations. He refocused on multimedia journalism and podcast production after a long career in corporate branded journalism and public relations.
He has won numerous awards for his audio and video news reporting from the Garden State Journalists Association, and he has also been recognized for video by the New Jersey Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. He has produced a wide range of audio and video podcasts in his other role as managing partner of State Broadcast News’s parent, The Lubetkin Media Companies.
Steve is co-author, with Toronto-based podcasting pioneer Donna Papacosta, of the book, The Business of Podcasting: How to Take Your Podcasting Passion from the Personal to the Professional.
In March 2021, he was elected to the board of directors of the New Jersey Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, and in July 2021 he was named secretary of the chapter. In August 2021, he was honored by SPJ with one of the organization’s 2021 Howard S. Dubin Outstanding Pro Member Awards, given to regular members of an SPJ chapter who go above and beyond in serving their chapter.
Steve has been the computer columnist for the Jewish Community Voice of Southern New Jersey, since 1996.
Steve also has reported on-camera and produces virtual conferences for NJSpotlightNews.org, a public policy news coverage website focused on New Jersey government and industry; and for clients of StateBroadcastNews.com, a division of The Lubetkin Media Companies LLC.
From May-November 2019, he produced and reported a weekly podcast, The CRE News Hour, a news and features program focusing on the commercial real estate industry.
From 2014 to 2019 he was New Jersey and Philadelphia editor for GlobeSt.com and filled in covering Chicago/Midwest and Atlanta.
Steve has also served (from August 2017 to March 2018) as national broadcast news correspondent for CEOReport.com, a news website focused on practical advice for senior executives in small- and medium-sized companies.
Earlier in his career, Steve reported on rock music at the Jersey Shore for the Asbury Park Press, and was a broadcast news anchor and production engineer for WJLK-AM & FM, then owned by the Press. He also worked as a general assignment reporter for the Red Bank Register, Shrewsbury, NJ.
You can email Steve at steve@statebroadcastnews.com.
