71% in Pennsylvania Favor Troops on Border To Stop Illegal Immigration

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Seventy-one percent (71%) of Likely Voters in Pennsylvania support sending U.S. troops to the border with Mexico to help prevent illegal immigration, according to a new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey in the state.

Sixteen percent (16%) are opposed to such a move, while 14% are not sure.

Nationally, 79% of voters believe the U.S. military should be used on the country's southern border for that purpose.

President Obama is sending troops to the Mexican border but says they are there only to prevent Mexican drug violence from spilling into this country.

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The survey of 500 Likely Voters in Pennsylvania was conducted on June 2, 2010 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4.5% percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

The increased national debate on illegal immigration is clearly linked to the recent law passed in Arizona, which most Pennsylvanians support.

Just 22% of voters in the state believe that the U.S. Department of Justice should challenge the legality of the Arizona law. But 58% oppose such a challenge, comparable to views nationally. Twenty percent (20%) are undecided.

Women and voters under 30 are more willing to challenge the Arizona law.

Republicans are more likely than Democrats to support sending troops to the border.

Republican State Attorney General Tom Corbett attracts support from 49% of Keystone State voters in his bid to become governor. His Democratic challenger, Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato, earns 33% of the vote.

Congressman Joe Sestak’s post-primary bounce appears to be over, and he now trails Republican rival Pat Toomey by seven points in the U.S. Senate contest in Pennsylvania.

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_ ... mmigration