Corbett: bad news but a hint of hope

Gov. Corbett, whose legal wins and losses look like the Sixers' final regular season record (19 wins, 63 losses), was just handed another loss Monday.

Commonwealth Court refused to reconsider its ruling that the state's voter ID law is unconstitutional. The Guv's lawyers say they're reviewing the ruling for a possible appeal to the state Supreme Court.

You can read coverage of the ruling here.

But even in the face of further defeat comes news from a new national poll that could give Corbett and other Republicans reasons to hope for reelection.

The Washington Post/ABC News poll says President Obama's approval rating now stands at the lowest point of his incumbency, 41 percent, and that voters prefer that Republicans run Congress. The GOP already controls the House. The new poll suggests they could also win control of the Senate this year.

Details of the poll are here.

Such findings are good news for Republicans generally, including Corbett who seeks reelection in an off-year when voter turnout is lower than in presidential years.

The new Post poll says as things stand now, traditional Republican white and older voters say they are more likely to vote in the fall than traditional Democratic minority and younger voters.

While there are 1 million more registered Democrats in Pennsylvania than Republicans, if Dem turnout is low, Corbett gets four more years.

Obama takes hits in the poll on his handling of the economy, implementation of Obamacare and foreign policy.

If such numbers hold through the fall, Corbett could run hard on his no-tax, anti-Obamacare stances. All four of the Democrats running in the May 20 primary to oppose Corbett call for higher taxes to pay for education and voice support for Obamacare.

One of the four, Allyson Schwartz, has made full implementation of Obamacare central to her campaign.

So winds blow and tides change and you never know what the weather might bring. This week it brought Corbett another legal loss but also a hint of hope.