With the field reduced to two players, the latest Rasmussen Reports election poll shows Democratic Governor Ed Rendell narrowly leading Republican Lynn Swann, the former Pittsburgh Steeler, 46% to 43%. In January Swann enjoyed a two-point lead.

Swann's only major competition for the Republican nomination, Former Lieutenant Governor Bill Scranton, ended his two-year quest for the gubernatorial post on February 8. It had become clear that the Republican State Committee was set to endorse Swann to cap a string of straw poll victories.

Both Rendell and Swann attract support from a little more than two thirds of fellow party members. Rendell continues to do better with unaffiliated voters and moderates.

But Swann is better liked. He is viewed favorably by 59% of the state's likely voters and unfavorably by only 18%, with 22% not sure. Governor Rendell is viewed favorably by 50%, unfavorably by 39%.

Forty-nine percent (49%) approve of the governor's job performance and 48% disapprove. Casey's disapproval numbers are split evenly between those who "somewhat disapprove" (24%) and "strongly disapprove" (24%). By contrast, 57% disapprove of the job President Bush is doing, and 46% "strongly disapprove."

Swann is thus better off if he can avoid being lumped with President Bush in the minds of Pennsylvanians.

When asked to rank the relative importance of several election issues, 32% say Iraq is most important to them; 27% say the economy; 21% say health care; 10% say alternative sources of energy, and 10% are not sure. Fifty-one percent (51%) regard the war in Iraq as a more important issue than the economy, while 40% say the economy is more important.

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