Joe Hoeffel wins online progressive straw poll

Joe Hoeffel wins online progressive straw poll
Hoeffel leads Keystone Progress gubernatorial poll
of progressive PA activists with 35.1%, Wagner 2^nd with 21.8%

(WEST READING, PA)—Montgomery County Commissioner Joe Hoeffel is the choice of progressive activists for governor in 2010, according to a straw poll conducted by Keystone Progress. Hoeffel received 35.1% of the votes, while Auditor General Jack Wagner came in second with 21.8%. Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato got 11.4%, followed by Scranton Mayor Chris Doherty (11.1%), businessman Tom Knox (6.9%) and Attorney General Tom Corbett (2.7%). No other candidate received 1%.

The preference of the participants varied widely by region. Hoeffel dominated in the southeast (57.5%) and in the Lehigh Valley (47.2%), while Wagner led in the northwest (41.2%), south central (38.5%) and southwest (37.1). Doherty won easily in the northeast (60.5%) and Onorato won in the north central (48.3%).

The poll was described as “very unscientific” by Michael Morrill, Executive Director of Keystone Progress. “This is a poll of our subscribers. So the vote reflects our progressive activist base. They tend to be more progressive than the average Pennsylvanian. But they are also more likely to donate to a candidacy or work for a campaign.”

Keystone Progress ran a similar poll for U.S. Senate last month. Joe Sestak won that poll handily with 62.8% of the vote, winning every region of the state.

Keystone Progress (www.keystoneprogress.org) is the state’s largest online progressive activist organization. The participants in the poll were all subscribers who have taken action with the organization on issues ranging from keeping electric rates low to standing up for LGBT rights.

Over one thousand people (1085) participated in the straw poll. They were asked “Who should PA progressives support for Governor in 2010?” Voters were given the option of picking from the seven candidates who have declared or are considering running—Democrats Doherty, Hoeffel, Knox, Onorato and Wagner; and Republicans Tom Corbett and Jim Gerlach. Candidates were listed in alphabetical order, with Democrats listed first.

Voters were also given the option of picking another candidate. None of the write-in candidates received 1%, nor did Gerlach. Those votes were all added to the other category.

Multiple votes from the same computer were counted only once. Out of state votes were not counted.

The page used for voting can be viewed at: http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/s/pagovpoll

Complete results follow. Total votes by geography do not total 1086 because we were unable to identify a small number by zip code.

	Doherty	Hoeffel	Knox	Onorato	Wagner	Corbett	Other	Undecided	Total Votes
Total	11.1	35.1	6.9	11.4	21.8	2.7	3.3	7.7	1085
Northwest	7.8	9.8	3.9	13.7	41.2	3.9	2.0	17.6	51
Southwest	0.6	14.0	-	33.1	37.1	4.5	2.2	-	178
North Central	-	10.3	-	48.3	27.6	3.4	-	10.3	29
South Central	7.7	23.8	5.4	8.5	38.5	2.3	5.4	8.5	130
Northeast	60.5	13.6	8.8	2.0	4.1	3.4	4.1	3.4	147
Lehigh Valley	5.6	47.2	6.7	4.5	14.6	4.5	5.6	11.1	89
Southeast	2.5	57.5	9.8	4.2	14.6	1.2	3.1	6.9	478

-END-