Poll: Toomey pulling ahead of Arlen Specter in Pennsylvania Senate race

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A new poll shows the conservative who drove Pennsylvania Democratic Sen. Arlen Specter out of the GOP is pulling ahead of him in the Senate race.

The Quinnipiac University poll released Thursday shows Republican Pat Toomey leading Specter 46% to 41%. The margin of error is plus or minus 2.6 points.

Polling a month ago showed Specter ahead 49% to 42%. Toomey also leads Specter’s key primary challenger, Rep. Joe Sestak, 42% to 34%.

Toomey is considered the front-runner for this year’s GOP nomination. He narrowly lost to Specter in the 2004 Republican primary.

Polls have shown Specter and Toomey trading places in front since this year’s race began.

-- Associated Press