Clinton’s 10-delegate net* wasn’t the only the underwhelming result of the Pennsylvania primary. One poll shows she’s not getting much of a boost in popularity either. Rasmussen Daily Tracking for today:
In the race for the Democratic Presidential Nomination, it’s Obama 49 percent, Clinton 42 percent. Those numbers are unchanged from the night before and, so far, there is absolutely no indication that Clinton’s victory in Pennsylvania has changed the overall dynamic of the race. These results are based upon a four-day rolling average and include two full nights of polling following the Pennsylvania Primary.
These results and other data suggest that there is no “momentum” in this Primary Season. Typically, momentum results as voters learn more about a candidate who is doing well. This cycle, Hillary Clinton began the campaign as one of the best known people in the world. Democrats uneasy with her quickly settled on Obama as the chief challenger who has now become the frontrunner.
As the candidates have become known, each has developed a solid core of supportive constituencies. For Obama, these included African-Americans, younger voters, more liberal Democrats, and upper-income voters. For Clinton, strength comes from White Women, older voters, more moderate Democrats, and lower-to-middle income workers.
Six weeks of campaigning in Pennsylvania, and still uncounted millions of dollars in campaign spending, was unable to significantly move any of the demographic support groups from one candidate to the other.
HRC’s unfavorables aren’t dropping either.
Among all voters nationwide, McCain is viewed favorably by 52 percent and unfavorably by 46 percent. Obama’s ratings are 50 percent favorable and 48 percent unfavorable. For Clinton, the reviews are 46 percent favorable, 53 percent unfavorable. Just 41 percent of Clinton supporters have a favorable opinion of Obama while 48 percent of Obama supporters have a favorable opinion of Clinton.
* Clinton won a total of 83 delegates from Pennsylvania while Obama won 73.
