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Poll: Toomey leads Sestak in Senate race

Republican Pat Toomey has inched closer to majority support, leading Democratic Rep. Joe Sestak 50 percent to 43 percent in the Pennsylvania U.S. Senate race, according to a Quinnipiac University poll of likely voters released today.

A recent poll shows Republican Pat Toomey (left) leading Democrat Joe Sestak (right) in the race for Pa. governor.
A recent poll shows Republican Pat Toomey (left) leading Democrat Joe Sestak (right) in the race for Pa. governor.Read more

Republican Pat Toomey has inched closer to majority support, leading Democratic Rep. Joe Sestak 50 percent to 43 percent in the Pennsylvania U.S. Senate race, according to a Quinnipiac University poll of likely voters released today.

Fifty-six of Pennsylvania voters who say they are likely to go to the polls Nov. 2 disapprove of the job President Obama is doing, compared with 40 percent who approve, the poll finds.

By a 52 to 43 percent margin, voters say they would rather have a Republican representing Pennsylvania in the Senate.

The source of Toomey's overall lead over Sestak, who represents the 7th District in suburban Philadelphia in the U.S. House, is a commanding advantage among independents likely to vote, 54 percent to 36 percent.

"Pat Toomey is in a good place, ahead by 7 points with six weeks to go. But Congressman Joe Sestak has proven himself a tough competitor so it's too early to order the champagne," said Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

The survey is based on telephone interviews with 684 likely voters, conducted from Sept. 15 to Sept. 19. Results are subject to a margin of error of plus or minus 3.8 percentage points.