Poll: Pandemic top concern for Pennsylvanians
President Donald Trump attempted to hit the reset button last week on his response to the coronavirus pandemic, calling on people to wear masks to slow its spread while also conceding that things are likely to get worse before they get better.
But it appears that effort may be too late for some questioned in the new Franklin & Marshall College poll.
In the statewide survey, which was released today, 49% of respondents gave Trump a failing grade on his response to the public health crisis.
The poll found only 13% gave Trump an A, while 16% gave him a B, 14% gave him a C, and 8% gave him a D on his handling of the situation.
The survey of 667 registered voters — 324 Democrats, 271 Republicans and 72 independents — showed that the pandemic remains a top concern for Pennsylvanians as the number of coronavirus cases continues to creep
back up. The seven-day case average hit its lowest point in June but now sits back where it was in the middle of spring.
In Berks County, the outbreak case total has reached 5,100 with a death toll that sits at 353.
The poll shows nearly one-third of those questioned list the coronavirus as the most important problem currently facing the state. One in five respondents reports a family member or close friend has contracted COVID-19, although most (63%) think they are unlikely to contract it during the next three months.
Those results show there is some variation along party lines.
More Democrats than Republicans or independents shared that they have a close friend or family member that has had the disease. Most conservatives and moderates believe they are unlikely to contract COVID-19, compared to less than half of liberals thinking that way.
The poll also asked about mitigation efforts.
It shows that two in three registered voters believe it is extremely important to wear a mask to help limit the spread of the coronavirus, two in five say they always follow social distancing guidelines and two in five believe it is extremely important to stay home as much as possible.
But there is once again a partisan divide to responses.
For example, most liberals (88%) and moderates (84%) believe it is extremely important to wear a face mask when outside the home, while less than half (42%) of conservatives feel that it is important.
The survey was conducted between June 20 and Sunday. The margin of error is 5.5 percentage points. The Reading Eagle is a media partner of the poll.