In Pennsylvania’s 6th Congressional District, incumbent Jim Gerlach holds a 10 point lead over Iraq War veteran Manan Trivedi. The Monmouth University Poll finds Republican Gerlach with 54% of the vote and Democrat Trivedi with 44% among likely voters in this district.
Gerlach has a strong 58% to 37% advantage in the Berks (plus part of Lehigh) County portion of this district and a similar 59% to 38% lead in the Chester County portion. Trivedi has the edge in Montgomery County by 58% to 42%.
“Gerlach has won election by no more than four points in his prior races. This year, though, the national Republican surge looks to give him a more comfortable re-election margin,” said Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute.
Congressman Gerlach’s job performance rating among likely voters in his district is generally positive at 50% approve to 39% disapprove. He garners personal ratings of 50% favorable to 35% unfavorable. By comparison, 33% of voters give Trivedi a favorable rating and 25% an unfavorable one, but fully 41% have no opinion of the challenger less than two weeks before Election Day.
While they gave Barack Obama a 17 point win in 2008’s presidential contest, likely voters in Pennsylvania’s 6th District are more likely to disapprove (52%) rather than approve (44%) of the job Obama is doing today. Also, most (62%) voters here think the country is on the wrong track.
Voters in the 6th are somewhat divided over whether they prefer having the Republicans (48%) or the Democrats (44%) in charge of Congress next year. Both parties get generally negative reviews. The Democratic Party is viewed favorably by 41% of voters and unfavorably by 55%. The Republican Party fares no better at 40% favorable to 54% unfavorable. The Tea Party movement receives similar ratings at 41% favorable to 49% unfavorable.
In Pennsylvania’s 6th Congressional District, incumbent Jim Gerlach holds a 10 point lead over Iraq War veteran Manan Trivedi. The Monmouth University Poll finds Republican Gerlach with 54% of the vote and Democrat Trivedi with 44% among likely voters in this district.
Gerlach has a strong 58% to 37% advantage in the Berks (plus part of Lehigh) County portion of this district and a similar 59% to 38% lead in the Chester County portion. Trivedi has the edge in Montgomery County by 58% to 42%.
“Gerlach has won election by no more than four points in his prior races. This year, though, the national Republican surge looks to give him a more comfortable re-election margin,” said Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute.
Congressman Gerlach’s job performance rating among likely voters in his district is generally positive at 50% approve to 39% disapprove. He garners personal ratings of 50% favorable to 35% unfavorable. By comparison, 33% of voters give Trivedi a favorable rating and 25% an unfavorable one, but fully 41% have no opinion of the challenger less than two weeks before Election Day.
While they gave Barack Obama a 17 point win in 2008’s presidential contest, likely voters in Pennsylvania’s 6 th District are more likely to disapprove (52%) rather than approve (44%) of the job Obama is doing today. Also, most (62%) voters here think the country is on the wrong track.
Voters in the 6 th are somewhat divided over whether they prefer having the Republicans (48%) or the Democrats (44%) in charge of Congress next year. Both parties get generally negative reviews. The Democratic Party is viewed favorably by 41% of voters and unfavorably by 55%. The Republican Party fares no better at 40% favorable to 54% unfavorable. The Tea Party movement receives similar ratings at 41% favorable to 49% unfavorable.
The Monmouth University Poll was conducted by automated telephone interviewing with 642 likely voters from October 18 to 20, 2010. This sample has a margin of error of ± 3.9 percent.
DATA TABLES
The questions referred to in this release are as follows:
(* Some columns may not add to 100% due to rounding.)
1. If the election for United States Congress from Pennsylvania’s 6th Congressional District were today, would you vote for Jim Gerlach the Republican or Manan Trivedi the Democrat? [At this moment, do you lean toward Jim Gerlach or lean toward Manan Trivedi?] [NAMES WERE ROTATED]
|
TOTAL | PARTY ID | GENDER |
AGE | ||||||
|
Dem | Ind | Rep | Male | Female | 18-44 | 45-59 |
60+ | ||
| Jim Gerlach | 54% | 15% | 54% | 95% | 57% | 51% | 49% | 56% | 54% |
| Manan Trivedi | 44% | 83% | 38% | 4% | 41% | 46% | 47% | 43% | 42% |
| Other – Undecided | 2% | 2% | 8% | 1% | 2% | 4% | 4% | 1% | 4% |
| Unwtd N |
642 | 224 | 151 | 267 | 407 | 235 | 116 | 225 |
301 |
[QUESTIONS 2 AND 3 WERE ROTATED]
2. Is your general opinion of Jim Gerlach favorable, unfavorable, or do you have no opinion of Jim Gerlach?
|
TOTAL | PARTY ID | GENDER |
AGE | ||||||
|
Dem | Ind | Rep | Male | Female | 18-44 | 45-59 |
60+ | ||
| Favorable | 50% | 17% | 51% | 86% | 52% | 49% | 45% | 53% | 51% |
| Unfavorable | 35% | 62% | 35% | 6% | 37% | 32% | 40% | 36% | 30% |
| No opinion | 15% | 22% | 14% | 8% | 11% | 19% | 15% | 11% | 19% |
| Unwtd N |
642 | 224 | 151 | 267 | 407 | 235 | 116 | 225 |
301 |
3. Is your general opinion of Manan Trivedi favorable, unfavorable, or do you have no opinion of Manan Trivedi?
|
TOTAL | PARTY ID | GENDER |
AGE | ||||||
|
Dem | Ind | Rep | Male | Female | 18-44 | 45-59 |
60+ | ||
| Favorable | 33% | 62% | 32% | 3% | 32% | 34% | 30% | 34% | 34% |
| Unfavorable | 25% | 4% | 28% | 47% | 33% | 18% | 24% | 27% | 25% |
| No opinion | 41% | 34% | 41% | 50% | 35% | 48% | 46% | 39% | 41% |
| Unwtd N |
642 | 224 | 151 | 267 | 407 | 235 | 116 | 225 |
301 |
4. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Jim Gerlach is doing as your Congressman?
|
TOTAL | PARTY ID | GENDER |
AGE | ||||||
|
Dem | Ind | Rep | Male | Female | 18-44 | 45-59 |
60+ | ||
| Approve | 50% | 16% | 52% | 85% | 50% | 50% | 44% | 51% | 53% |
| Disapprove | 39% | 67% | 38% | 9% | 42% | 35% | 44% | 41% | 33% |
| Not sure | 11% | 17% | 10% | 6% | 8% | 15% | 11% | 8% | 14% |
| Unwtd N |
642 | 224 | 151 | 267 | 407 | 235 | 116 | 225 |
301 |
5. Are things in the United States going in the right direction or have they gotten off on the wrong track?
|
TOTAL | PARTY ID | GENDER |
AGE | ||||||
|
Dem | Ind | Rep | Male | Female | 18-44 | 45-59 |
60+ | ||
| Right direction | 34% | 64% | 26% | 7% | 35% | 34% | 40% | 31% | 34% |
| Wrong track | 62% | 29% | 69% | 93% | 62% | 61% | 55% | 66% | 62% |
| Not sure | 4% | 7% | 5% | 0% | 2% | 5% | 6% | 2% | 4% |
| Unwtd N |
642 | 224 | 151 | 267 | 407 | 235 | 116 | 225 |
301 |
6. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Barack Obama is doing as president?
|
TOTAL | PARTY ID | GENDER |
AGE | ||||||
|
Dem | Ind | Rep | Male | Female | 18-44 | 45-59 |
60+ | ||
| Approve | 44% | 82% | 36% | 8% | 42% | 46% | 49% | 44% | 41% |
| Disapprove | 52% | 14% | 58% | 89% | 55% | 48% | 43% | 53% | 55% |
| Not sure | 4% | 5% | 5% | 3% | 3% | 6% | 8% | 3% | 4% |
| Unwtd N |
642 | 224 | 151 | 267 | 407 | 235 | 116 | 225 |
301 |
7. Who would you rather see in control of Congress next year – the Democrats, the Republicans, or does it make no difference?
|
TOTAL | PARTY ID | GENDER |
AGE | ||||||
|
Dem | Ind | Rep | Male | Female | 18-44 | 45-59 |
60+ | ||
| Democrats | 44% | 82% | 38% | 5% | 40% | 47% | 51% | 42% | 41% |
| Republicans | 48% | 9% | 50% | 88% | 52% | 44% | 40% | 51% | 50% |
| No difference | 9% | 9% | 12% | 7% | 8% | 9% | 9% | 7% | 9% |
| Unwtd N |
642 | 224 | 151 | 267 | 407 | 235 | 116 | 225 |
301 |
[QUESTIONS 8 AND 9 WERE ROTATED]
8. Is your general opinion of the Democratic party favorable or unfavorable?
|
TOTAL | PARTY ID | GENDER |
AGE | ||||||
|
Dem | Ind | Rep | Male | Female | 18-44 | 45-59 |
60+ | ||
| Favorable | 41% | 82% | 25% | 6% | 38% | 44% | 45% | 40% | 40% |
| Unfavorable | 55% | 14% | 68% | 90% | 59% | 50% | 51% | 57% | 55% |
| No opinion | 4% | 4% | 6% | 4% | 3% | 6% | 4% | 4% | 5% |
| Unwtd N |
642 | 224 | 151 | 267 | 407 | 235 | 116 | 225 |
301 |
9. Is your general opinion of the Republican party favorable or unfavorable?
|
TOTAL | PARTY ID | GENDER |
AGE | ||||||
|
Dem | Ind | Rep | Male | Female | 18-44 | 45-59 |
60+ | ||
| Favorable | 40% | 10% | 34% | 76% | 41% | 39% | 36% | 40% | 43% |
| Unfavorable | 54% | 88% | 53% | 17% | 55% | 52% | 59% | 55% | 48% |
| No opinion | 6% | 2% | 13% | 7% | 4% | 9% | 6% | 4% | 8% |
| Unwtd N |
642 | 224 | 151 | 267 | 407 | 235 | 116 | 225 |
301 |
10. Is your general opinion of the Tea Party movement favorable or unfavorable?
|
TOTAL | PARTY ID | GENDER |
AGE | ||||||
|
Dem | Ind | Rep | Male | Female | 18-44 | 45-59 |
60+ | ||
| Favorable | 41% | 7% | 49% | 72% | 46% | 36% | 32% | 42% | 45% |
| Unfavorable | 49% | 82% | 44% | 16% | 48% | 49% | 54% | 49% | 45% |
| No opinion | 10% | 10% | 7% | 12% | 6% | 15% | 13% | 9% | 10% |
| Unwtd N |
642 | 224 | 151 | 267 | 407 | 235 | 116 | 225 |
301 |
The Monmouth University Poll was conducted by the Monmouth University Polling Institute in West Long Branch, New Jersey. The poll was conducted on October 16-19, 2010 with a random sample of 637 likely voters in Maryland’s 1st Congressional District. The sample was drawn from a list of households with voters who cast ballots in at least two of the last four general elections and further screened for those who say they are either “certain” or “likely” to vote in this November’s election. The voter list was obtained from Aristotle, Inc. and automated voice interviewing services were provided by Survey USA in Clifton, New Jersey.
For results based on the total sample, one can say with 95% confidence that the error attributable to sampling has a maximum margin of plus or minus 3.9 percentage points. Sampling error increases as the sample size decreases, so statements based on various population subgroups, such as separate figures reported by gender or party identification, are subject to more error than are statements based on the total sample. In addition to sampling error, one should bear in mind that question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of opinion polls.
|
POLL DEMOGRAPHICS | ||||
|
Household |
Self-Reported |
Gender | Age |
Race |
| 48% Democrat | 41% Democrat | 49% Male | 25% 18-44 |
93% White, non-Hispanic |
| 43% Republican | 38% Republican | 51% Female | 37% 45-59 |
7% Other |
| 9% Other | 21% Independent | 38% 60+ | ||
Click on pdf file link below for full methodology and results by key demographic groups.
