Pennsylvania voters remain divided on whether Gov. Josh Shapiro would make a good president, even as he holds a solid lead in his reelection race, according to a new Quinnipiac University poll .
Forty percent of registered voters said Shapiro would make a good president, while 43 percent said he would not. Sixteen percent did not offer an opinion .
The poll found sharp partisan divides. Democrats said 69% to 16% that Shapiro would make a good president, while Republicans said 74% to 14% that he would not. Independents also leaned negative, 44% to 32% .
Shapiro’s job approval as governor remains stronger. Fifty-six percent of voters approve of the way he is handling his job, while 29% disapprove . That marks a slight dip from October, when 60% approved and 28% disapproved .
In the 2026 governor’s race, Shapiro leads Republican candidate Stacy Garrity 55% to 37%, little changed from the fall . Nearly all Democrats back Shapiro, while most Republicans support Garrity .
Voters are also split on Pennsylvania’s U.S. senators. Forty-six percent approve of Sen. John Fetterman’s job performance, while 40% disapprove . Sen. Dave McCormick posts a 37% approval rating, with 33% disapproving and 30% not offering an opinion .
President Donald Trump’s approval rating in the state stands at 40%, with 55% disapproving . On the economy, 39% approve of his handling, while 56% disapprove .
Nearly half of voters, 49%, said they would prefer Democrats to control the U.S. House, compared with 43% who prefer Republican control .
Economic concerns remain high. Forty-seven percent of voters said the nation’s economy is getting worse, while 28% said it is getting better and 23% said it is staying the same .
On immigration, 56% said the Trump administration is being too harsh in its treatment of undocumented immigrants, while 36% said it is handling the issue about right . By the same margin, 56%, voters said they prefer giving most undocumented immigrants a pathway to legal status, compared with 34% who prefer deportation .
The poll also found broad agreement on several state issues.
Seventy-one percent of voters support banning cellphones in Pennsylvania’s K–12 schools during the school day, while 20% oppose it .
Sixty-six percent support raising the state’s minimum wage from $7.25 to $15 an hour, while 29% oppose it .
A majority, 56%, support legalizing recreational marijuana for adults, compared with 37% who oppose it .
At the same time, 68% said they would oppose building an AI data center in their community, while 20% would support one .
The survey included 836 self-identified registered voters in Pennsylvania and was conducted Feb. 19-23. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.7 percentage points .
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